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UC IPM Home > Homes, Gardens, Landscapes, and Turf > Vegetables > Diseases
How to Manage Pests
Pests in Gardens and Landscapes
Seasonal development
and life cycle—Powdery mildew
All powdery mildew fungi require living plant tissue to grow. Most powdery mildew fungi grow as thin
layers of mycelium on the surface of the affected plant part. Spores, which are the primary means of
dispersal, make up the bulk of the powdery growth and are produced in chains that can be seen with a
hand lens. Spores are carried by the wind to new hosts. All powdery mildew species can germinate and
infect in the absence of water. Moderate temperatures and shady conditions are generally the most favorable
for the development of the fungus. Spores are sensitive to extreme heat and direct sunlight. |
Spores
of powdery mildew
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