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Author Archives: Oliver Ellingham
Where it all began…
With approximately 800 different species of powdery mildew present on earth today, grouped into 13 genera (according to Braun & Takamatsu, 2000) of 5 tribes, combinations of the aforementioned features, as well as many less superficially obvious, are numerous. While many … Continue reading
Sexual Fungi
Like any organism reproduction is key to the life of the powdery mildews. Their short generation time and mixture of asexual (self-replication) and sexual life cycles have evolved to produce the veracious organisms which blight many of our agricultural and … Continue reading
Appendage Morphology
Amongst the most important visual, superficial features of the powdery mildew are their appendages. These limb-like features arising from the surface of the, sexual spore containing, chasmothecia are important for latching onto the stems and leaves of their hosts. They vary … Continue reading
How many spores?
After establishing itself on a host a powdery mildew can begin to reproduce. Asexual conidia (spores) are produced as 3-D protrusions, on structures called conidiophores, from the predominantly 2-D mycelial network on the surface of a host. In this aspect … Continue reading
Powdery mildew taxonomy
The year 2000 saw a major revision of the taxonomy of the powdery mildews originally proposed by Braun (1987). The new monograph saw the recognition of the five major lineages of the Erysiphales therefore establishing the five ‘tribes’ (table 1).
Posted in PhD research, Public Engagement with Science, RHS research
Tagged Ascomycota, Classification, Erysiphales, Fungal identification, Fungi, morphology, Oli Ellingham, Oliver Ellingham, Parasitism, Pathology, Phyllactinieae, Phylogeny, Plant Pathology, Powdery Mildew, RHS, Royal Horticultural Society, taxonomy
4 Comments
Dark times for powdery mildew
Winter is here and with it we have left behind my dear biotrophic fungus, the powdery mildew (PM). Requiring plant material to source nutrients to grow and reproduce means that with the dropping of leaves, characteristic of ‘Fall’, PMs must … Continue reading
Powdery Mildews under the microscope
Since the visit of powdery mildew expert Dr. Roger Cook in mid-August I have been pressing on in order to successfully culture colonies of the Erysiphales. This has involved experimentation with various methods, including infection of both detached leaves and fresh … Continue reading
Posted in PhD research, RHS research
Tagged BBSRC, Erysiphales, Fungal identification, morphology, Oli Ellingham, Powdery Mildew, RHS, Royal Horticultural Society, SEM, taxonomy
5 Comments
Powdery Mildew
My PhD project, focusing on the diversity, distribution & diagnostics of the powdery mildew fungi, has just begun. So, I am currently getting to grips with the wide ranging literature and attempting to make a new life for myself at … Continue reading
Posted in PhD research, RHS research
Tagged Ascomycota, Erysiphales, Powdery Mildew, RHS, Royal Horticultural Society
4 Comments