Yen & Chin C. Wang, (1973) Oidium mangiferae is a plant pathogen that infects mango trees causing powdery mildew.

Currently no teleomorph stage has been identified, but due to certain morphological characteristics it has been suggested that O. mangiferae belongs in the Erysiphe polygony group.

Mango is the only known host for this pathogen, though O. mangiferae appears to be identical to fungi responsible for powdery mildew diseases on various other plant species, particularly oak, though some differences may be observed.

[3] Recent analysis of its ribosomal DNA suggests it is conspecific with Erysiphe alphitoides, the causative agent of powdery mildew in European oaks.

[6] Mangoes are susceptible to a large variety of pathogens, including root rot, anthracnose, die back, and leaf spot, among others.

The most popular variety of mango, the Tommy Atkins, was developed in the 1920s in Florida and is favored because of its long shelf life and anthracnose resistance, though it is still somewhat susceptible to powdery mildew and control strategies must still be enacted.

[9] Diseases of perennial crops such as mango are devastating due to the long time period to maturity for the plants, as a tree grown from seed will not produce fruit until it has reached three to six years of age.

[10] In addition, perennial crops can allow for buildup of inoculum and widespread dispersal of pathogens such as powdery mildew because the host is present in all seasons and through multiple years.

[13] Warm temperatures with cloud cover and heavy dew promote infection, though dry conditions favor disease development.

[7] Disease development is inversely proportional to the number of hours of sunshine per day, and moderate to high relative humidity also plays a role in the severity of infections.

[17] One current issue with the use of B. licheniformis as a control agent is that no reliable means has been developed for maintaining the bacterial population over the long term.

[17] The other major issue with the use of this species as a biopesticide is that it has been potentially identified as causing illnesses such as food poisoning in humans, as well as several other diseases in animals.

It is currently approved in the United States by the Environmental Protection Agency for use in controlling fungal diseases on ornamental plants and turf, but cannot be applied to any crop intended for consumption by animals or humans.

[20] To prevent hypervirulent strains from arising and spreading rapidly due to monoculture, cultivar mixtures are commonly employed in mango plantations.

However, the usefulness of cultivar mixtures may be limited in this regard due to the size of the mango tree host, where autoinfection with the pathogen is extremely likely.

Quarantine techniques include washing of fruit, fungicide application prior to import, and exposure to hot water to decontaminate.