SUMMARY Here, we consider the barley powdery mildew fungus, Blumeria graminis (DC Speer) f.sp. hordei (Marchal), and review recent research which has added to our understanding of the biology and molecular biology which underpins the asexual life cycle of this potentially devastating pathogen. We focus on the early stages of the host-pathogen interaction and report current understanding in the areas of leaf perception, fungal signal transduction and host-imposed oxidative stress management. Through this, it is becoming increasingly clear how closely and subtly both sides of the relationship are regulated. Collectively, however, this review highlights the high degree of complexity in working with an obligate parasite. Our experiences suggest that we would make more efficient progress towards understanding the basis of susceptibility and resistance to this true obligate biotroph if its genome sequence was available.