A new resistance (R) gene to powdery mildew has been identified and characterized in a population derived from the wild potato species, Solanum neorossii under natural infection in the greenhouse. The segregation of resistance has revealed that this R gene is controlled by a single monogenic and dominant gene designated Rpm-nrs1. Analysis of the DNA sequence on an internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of the pathogen genome suggests that the pathogen causing the powdery mildew disease is either Golovinomyces orontii or G. cichoracearum. The resistance locus was localized to the short arm of chromosome 6 where several disease R genes already identified in potato and tomato are known to reside. The resistance locus cosegregated in 96 progeny with three AFLP markers and one PCR marker. The sequences of the two cosegregating AFLP markers are highly homologous to Mi-1 conferring resistance to nematode, potato aphid and whitefly and Rpi-blb2 conferring resistance to late blight. The results in this study will facilitate the cloning of this gene conferring resistance to powdery mildew.