Molecular Pathogens 2024, Vol.15, No.3, 155-169 http://microbescipublisher.com/index.php/mp 156 The systematic review will delve into the research progress on pM in Cucurbitaceae plants, highlighting the genetic mechanisms of resistance, the identification of causal agents, and the screening for resistance among different squash genotypes. This comprehensive analysis aims to synthesize the current knowledge and provide insights for future research directions in the fight against this pervasive plant disease (Cohen et al., 2003; Guo et al., 2019; Park et al., 2020; Caligiore-Gei et al., 2023). 2 What is Powdery Mildew 2.1 Description of the disease Powdery Mildew (PM) is a widespread fungal disease that affects a variety of vegetable crops, with cucurbits being one of the most severely impacted groups. This disease is characterized by white powdery colonies that develop on the surfaces of leaves, petioles, and stems (Figure 1). Under favorable conditions, these colonies can coalesce, leading to chlorosis and early senescence of the host tissue (Pérez-García et al., 2009). Figure 1 Cucurbit PM symptoms caused byPodosphaera fusca(Adopted from Pérez-García et al., 2009) Image caption: Manifestation of PM symptoms on zucchini caused by Podosphaera fusca (P. fusca): (A) Shows the overall symptoms on a zucchini leaf surface, (B) Provides a detailed view of a single PM colony, and (C) Illustrates an infected zucchini cotyledon maintained in vitro, displaying typical PM colonies. These images capture the progressive impact of P. fusca from initial colonization to extensive leaf coverage, leading to chlorosis and potential early senescence of the host tissue (Adapted from Pérez-García et al., 2009) Under favorable conditions, these colonies can coalesce, leading to chlorosis and early senescence of the host tissue. A: Symptoms on a zucchini leaf; B: Detail of a PM colony; C: Zucchini cotyledon maintained in vitro and infected with P. fusca showing typical PM colonies (Pérez-García et al., 2009). This study by Pérez-García et al. (2009) provides significant insights into the pathogenesis of P. fusca in cucurbit plants, specifically zucchini. Understanding the specific conditions that favor the growth of PM and its impact on
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