The National Watermelon Association remains committed to fostering practical, impactful research that addresses the evolving challenges and opportunities facing watermelon growers, shippers, and the broader supply chain. This year’s RFP continues to prioritize applied research with a direct benefit to watermelon production, handling, and food safety. In particular, the NWA welcomes proposals in areas such […]
CucCAP Disease Management Team
The Disease Management Team contributions to the CucCAP project include English and Spanish factsheets about cucurbit crop and disease management strategies including images of disease symptoms for crop producers, articles about cucurbit plant pathology, and articles about the team’s research efforts and accomplishments.
CucCAP scientists collaborate to develop diagnostic guide for fusarium rot of pumpkin and winter squash
Fusarium rot is an important soil-borne disease impacting production and storage of pumpkins and winter squash. A new guide has been published to facilitate diagnosis of this disease by outlining taxonomy, symptoms, isolation, and epidemiology of the disease, and providing morphologic and PCR-based methods to identify the pathogen.
Early Career Scientist Spotlight | Sarah Cochran-Murray
Sarah Cochran-Murray is a PhD candidate working with CucCAP Plant Pathologist Dr. Lina Quesada-Ocampo in the Vegetable Pathology Lab at North Carolina State University’s Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, as well as the NC Plant Sciences Initiative.
Downy Mildew Detecting Spiderlike Robot
CucCAP plant pathologist, Lina Quesada-Ocampo and her research team are collaborating with the NC State engineers to create robotics to sample cucumber fields for cucurbit downy mildew.
2024 Fusarium wilt experiment in SC
More Evidence that Choosing Grafting or the Right Cultivar is More Important than Using Fungicides to Manage Fusarium Wilt of Watermelon
PDMR 18 – Plant Disease Management Reports for Cucurbits
Gummy stem blight management on watermelon, Kinston, NC 2023.
Management of cucumber downy mildew using cultivars and fungicide programs, Clinton, NC 2023.
Chemical management for downy mildew on cucumbers, Clinton, NC 2023.
Cucumber downy mildew management using select fungicides, Clinton, NC 2023.
Early Career Scientist Spotlight | Usha Bhatta
Usha Bhatta is a Post Doctoral Research Scientist working with CucCAP Plant Pathologist Dr. Lina Quesada-Ocampo in the Vegetable Pathology Lab at North Carolina State University, Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology and the NC Plant Sciences Initiative. Usha’s hometown is Mahendranagar, Nepal and she focus of her work in the Quasada-Ocampo lab is Plant pathology, genomics, integrated disease management.
