This plant pathogen lives in the soil and survives Michigan winters. It does not move via air currents but spreads via splash of contaminated soil, surface water such as culverts, rivers, creeks and streams contaminated by run-off from infested fields, and the dumping of diseased culls onto production fields. Phytophthora is especially unique because it can develop a swimming spore when the soil becomes saturated. The swimming spores move across a field in a pattern consistent with draining water and kills plants in its path.
CucCAP Project
Contributions to the CucCAP project by the Bioinformatics Team, Cucurbit Crop Breeding Teams, and the Integrated Disease Management Team.
Cucumber downy mildew update | MSU Extension Vegetables
Downy mildew on cucumber or any other cucurbit has not been confirmed yet in 2019 in Michigan or in adjacent states of the Great Lakes region. Our molecular analysis of the spore traps has recently confirmed cucumber downy mildew spores in the air via our molecular testing a couple of times, but this has not happened frequently or to the level that might be expected if downy mildew was well established in our production areas.
The Story of Cucumbers in North Carolina | NC State Extension
Jonathan Schultheis discusses cucumber production in North Carolina in this video from NC State Cooperative Extensions Homegrown video series.
The Science Behind a Favorite Summertime Treat | USDA
In a long-term study, a research team led by ARS geneticist Amnon Levi at the U.S. Vegetable Laboratory collaborated with scientists at the Boyce Thompson Institute to unlock the genome of “Charleston Gray.”
Watermelon rootstock proves resistant to disease and pests
A new watermelon line, developed by Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and Clemson University scientists, is serving as a solution against major disease and pests of watermelon crops in the southern U.S.
Mid-June Vegetable updates | MSU Extension Vegetables
Pickling cucumber planting delays continue. Some growers were setting aside their last sweet corn plantings to get pumpkins in last week.
Cucumber downy mildew detected in NC | NC State
Characteristic symptoms include angular, chlorotic lesions on the upper surface of cucurbit leaves and gray sporulation on the underside of the leaves. Sporangiophore structures typical of Pseudoperonospora cubensis, causal agent of CDM, can be observed using a hand lens or under a dissecting microscope.
CucCAP scientists release genome of principal American watermelon cultivar and genetically characterize the National Plant Germplasm System watermelon collection
The CucCAP team has developed a high‐quality genome sequence for the principal American dessert watermelon cultivar ‘Charleston Gray’ and genotyped 1365 watermelon PI lines maintained at the U.S. National Plant Germplasm System.
