The determination of powdery mildew species in vegetable areas in some districs of Antalya province

Powdery mildews are among the important fungal diseases seen in vegetable growing areas and cause yield losses economically. The aim of this thesis was to determine powdery mildew species in tomato, pepper, eggplant, cucumber and zucchini cultivation areas in Antalya central districts. In this study, disease severity (%), disease incidence (%), prevalence (%) were determined in vegetable cultivation areas. In surveyed areas, infected leaf samples were collected from vegetable cultivation areas in Aksu, Kepez, Konyaaltı, Muratpaşa and Serik in Antalya. Species identification was made by using symptomatological and microscopic diagnostic criteria on diseased leaf samples. Disease rates of powdery mildew in survey areas were 4.0-19.3% in tomatoes; 5.0-7.5% in pepper; 7.5-36.6% in eggplant; 45.0-70.0% in the zuccini and 22.0-50.0% in the cucumber. The prevalence of powdery mildew was 54.1% in tomato, 55.5% in pepper, 44.4% in eggplant, 75.0% in zuccini and 66.5% in cucumber. As a result of the investigations, powdery mildew species determined as Leveillula taurica (Lév) G. Arnaud (anamorph: Oidiopsis taurica (Lév.) E. S. Salmon) on tomato, pepper and eggplant; Oidium neolycopersici L. Kiss. on tomato, Golovinomyces cichoracearum (de Candolle) Heluta (=Erysiphe cichoracearum) and Podosphaera xanthii (Castagne) Braun & Shishkof (=Sphaerotheca fuliginea) on cucurbitaceous plants. In the light of the findings, it has been shown that powdery mildews are important in vegetable cultivation areas and should be controlled.