Powdery Mildew is caused by which of the following?

Powdery Mildew is caused by which of the following?

• A. A single fungal genus.
• B. Several different genera of fungi.
• C. A bacterial species.
• D. A virus.

Answer: (B)

Powdery mildew is caused by a group of fungal pathogens, not just one organism. Different plants can be affected by different genera within the powdery mildew family, such as Erysiphe, Podosphaera, Golovinomyces, and Sphaerotheca. Because the disease name covers multiple related fungi, the best answer is that it’s caused by several different genera of fungi. It is not caused by bacteria or a virus, which is why those options aren’t correct. The powdery, white growth you see on leaves and stems is the visible sign of these diverse fungal pathogens at work.

Powdery mildew is caused by a group of fungal pathogens, not just one organism. Different plants can be affected by different genera within the powdery mildew family, such as Erysiphe, Podosphaera, Golovinomyces, and Sphaerotheca. Because the disease name covers multiple related fungi, the best answer is that it’s caused by several different genera of fungi. It is not caused by bacteria or a virus, which is why those options aren’t correct. The powdery, white growth you see on leaves and stems is the visible sign of these diverse fungal pathogens at work.