Willard T. Witte

Powdery mildew resistant plants

The subject invention provides plants with excellent resistance to powdery mildew. In a specific embodiment, the subject invention provides dogwood (Cornus florida) cultivars that are resistant to infestation with powdery mildew. Specifically exemplified herein are culitvars identified as ‘Jeans Appalachian Snow’, ‘Kays Appalachian Mist’, and ‘Karens Appalachian Blush’. The present invention also provides materials and methods for identifying, characterizing, and/or producing powdery mildew resistant plants. In a specific embodiment, the subject invention provides polynucleotide sequences, and patterns of polynucleotide sequences, which are associated with resistance to powdery mildew. These polynucleotides are characteristic of the powdery mildew resistant plants as described herein. Such polynucleotides are particularly useful in identifying and characterizing plant having resistance to powdery mildew.