[ Objective ] The paper was to explore the pathogenic mechanism of tomato powdery mildew, and to study the effects of the disease on photosynthetic characteristics of tomato. [ Method ] With four tomato varieties as materials, the pathogen of tomato powdery mildew was artificially inoculated. After the varieties were infected, the parameters including net photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance and transpiration rate of tomato leaf were measured by Li-6400 portable photo- synthesis detector under natural lighting conditions. [ Result] The net photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance and transpiration rate of four tomato varieties all decreased after infection. However, the decrease extent of these parameters of four varieties was different. The parameters of seriously damaged Jinyangdajuxdng （ No. 4） and Xinsheng No. 1 （ No. 5 ） decreased greatly, while the parameters of slightly damaged Lujia （ No. 13 ） and improved 98-6 decreased lightly. [ Condu- sion] The results could provide theoretical basis for the study on pathogenic mechanism, new prevention way and resistance breeding of tomato powdery mildew.
