The induced resistance of cucumber leaves treated with oligochitosan to the infection of the cucumber powdery mildew, Sphaerotheca fuliginea, was investigated using transmission electron microscopy. The results showed that when the plants were treated with oligochitosan and challenged with inoculum, a significant decrease of the disease occurred. The mycelial development in the treated leaves was markedly inhibited. The cytoplasm of the powdery mildew mycelium was aggregated, with its organelles disintegrated and the cytoplasm collapsed. The protoplasm in haustoria became electron-dense. Haustoria became malformed, their organelles disintegrated, the hausterial wall thickened and eventually the whole complex necrotized. The host cells produced defence structures and materials associated with infection and a hypersensitive response. The host cell wall was thickened and deeply stained; several layers of papilla structure were produced under the cell wall; dark materials were deposited between the cell wall and plasmalemma; extrahaustorial plasmalemma was deeply stained and extrahaustorial matrix appositions had large deposits of electron-dense material; the cytoplasm was disordered, host organelles disintegrated and eventually the whole host cell disintegrated and necrotized.