Abstract:DHN melanin is considered as one of the important virulence factors for certain plant pathogenic fungi. The objective of this study was to examine the role of melanin of Setosphaeria turcica in the mechanism of pathogenesis. Six melanin-deficient mutants were obtained by UV radiation and tricyclazole mutating. The tests on the mycelial growth,the number of conidiophores, the activity of HT-toxin and pathogenesis were conducted, comparing the mutant isolates with wild type ones. The mycelial growth, the number of conidiophores and pathogenesis reduced greatly in mutant isolates, but the activity of HT-toxin didn’t change obviously. Especially, the number of conidiophores and infections efficiency of wide type isolate is 30-50 fold and 5 fold compared with mutants. After grown on PDA containing melanin, mutant isolates M01-23a and M01-23b resumed a little pathogenesis. The experimental results suggested that there was relativity between melanin and pathogenesis.