Resistance levels of cucumber to <Emphasis Type="Italic">Podosphaera xanthii</Emphasis> in a growth chamber are related to haustorial formation and hyphal branching frequency

To clarify relationships between powdery mildew resistance of cucumber and hyphal developmental state of the pathogen, haustorial formation and the hyphal branching frequency were compared among cucumber varieties that differ in resistance levels to powdery mildew pathogen Podosphaera xanthii. Cotyledons of four cultivars were inoculated with P. xanthii. By 2 days after inoculation, secondary haustoria had developed from the first hyphal cell that formed beside the conidium in susceptible cultivars. The fungus on susceptible cultivars also tended to have hyphal branches just after the hyphal cell producing haustoria.