Scientists have constructed a comprehensive ‘super-pangenome’ for watermelon and its wild relatives, uncovering beneficial genes lost during domestication that could improve disease resistance and fruit quality of this vital fruit crop.
Author: cuccap
Plant Health 2023 Awards
Two members of the CucCAP Integrated Crop and Disease Management Team were selected to receive APS awards in honor of their significant contributions to the science of plant pathology at Plant Health 2023.
South Carolina Cucurbit Crop updates | August 9, 2023
Weekly field updates from Clemson Extension:
In the coastal region, the Fall crops including melon are being planted.
In the Midlands, Squash is coming to market with good quality.
In the Pee Dee region, Yellow squash, zucchini, and cucumbers had slowed a bit but seem to be picking back up.
Cucurbit Genetics Cooperative report #46
CucCAP scientists Jonathan Schultheis and Todd Wehner contributed an article about pickling cucumber variety trials to this report. CucCAP scientists Amnon Levi, Linda Wessel Beaver and Todd Wehner are members of the CGC Coordinating Committee. They collaborated with the Cucurbit research community to publish this report.
Cucurbit Downy Mildew updates August 14, 2023 | ipmPIPE
📢New reports of Cucurbit Downy Mildew on cucumber🥒, butternut, and pumpkins🎃 in Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Michigan, Maryland, New York, Tennessee, and Alabama📢 from July 28 to August 9, 2023.
Michigan Cucurbit update | August 9, 2023
Good yields of yellow and green processing zucchini were being harvested in west central Michigan.
Watermelon harvest continues in the state.
Cucurbit downy mildew has been confirmed in eight counties to date.
Clade-2 Downy mildew spores were captured in Michigan.
Downy Mildew on Pumpkins in Ohio
Clade 1 of the downy mildew pathogen has a broad host range among cucurbits, preferring pumpkins, squash and watermelons. Clade 2 isolates infect and cause damage to cucumbers and melons, and are seen in northern Ohio first. As in 2022, the Fulton County outbreak on pumpkins was unusual for the Great Lakes region.
Whitefly populations low across Southeast
Whiteflies can cause feeding injury issues in vegetables and transmit multiple viruses. These include cucurbit leaf crumple virus, cucurbit yellow stunting disorder virus, cucurbit chlorotic yellow virus, squash vein yellowing virus and tomato yellow leaf curl virus. Vegetables like squash, zucchini, cucumber, and cantaloupe are highly susceptible to these viruses.
