First Report of Powdery Mildew Caused by Erysiphe vignae on Cowpea ( Vigna unguiculata ) in Brazil

ABSTRACT

Cowpea ( Vigna unguiculata ) is an important field crop that exhibits a high level of adaptation to the semiarid regions of Brazil. Powdery mildew was previously considered a minor disease of cowpea in this region. However, the disease has become increasingly frequent and economically important following the expansion of cowpea cultivation into the Cerrado (savanna) region of central Brazil. Here, we characterised fungal isolates associated with powdery mildew signs and symptoms on cowpea plants. Morphological and phylogenetic analyses based on three genomic regions confirmed that the disease is caused by Erysiphe vignae . To the best of our knowledge, this is the first worldwide report of E. vignae causing powdery mildew on V. unguiculata .