Growers are urged to implement an aggressive fungicide program immediately.
Cucurbit Crop & Disease Management
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Five Fusarium wilt management strategies
Management of Fusarium wilt of watermelon is one of the best examples of IPM.
Five practices can be used. Grafting is a stand-alone practice. It’s so effective that it’s not necessary to combine it with any other technique. The other four practices work best when combined. Cover cropping with vetch reduces the amount of Fusarium spores in soil. Delaying transplanting as long as possible. Soil temperatures above 78 to 81°F at 2- to 4-inch depths reduce the number of diseased plants. Choosing cultivars with resistance helps reduce the number of diseased plants in soils infested with Fusarium. The fifth technique is conventional fungicides.
Late-season rainfall sparks disease outbreaks in watermelons
South Carolina Field Update | July 15, 2024
After harvest, high numbers of nematodes were observed in some SC vegetable fields. Nematode management for the next vegetable crop should start as soon as the current crop is done.
Clade 2 downy mildew reported in Michigan
Cucurbit downy mildew was recently detected on cucumbers in Michigan. The pathogen has also been detected in spore traps in multiple locations across the state.
Cucurbit Downy Mildew updates July 10, 2023 | ipmPIPE
Early reports of Downy mildew in squash
There are early reports of powdery mildew in squash in the Great Lakes region. This disease usually appears in late-July. Downy mildew on cucumbers is present in multiple growing areas.
Watermelon Fungicide Guide | Clemson
Four foliar diseases reduce watermelon yields in South Carolina. Gummy stem blight and powdery mildew are the most common diseases in spring crops.