Podosphaera ruborum

Podosphaera ruborum is a species of powdery mildew in the family Erysiphaceae. It is found across Europe and North America, on plants in the genus Rubus, including multiple commercially significant crops.

Description

The fungus forms thin, white irregular patches on the leaves of its host. Podosphaera ruborum, like most Erysiphaceae, is highly host-specific and infects only the genus Rubus. Two species in the genus are instead infected by the closely-related species Podosphaera rubi-spectabilis.

Taxonomy

The fungus was formally described in 1878 by Rabenhorst with the basionym Oidium ruborum. The new combination Podosphaera ruborum was created by Bradshaw and Liu in 2025. It is a member of the Podosphaera aphanis complex of species and was formally considered conspecific with that species.