One of the most serious diseases in vegetable production in Georgia is Phytophthora blight, caused by the oomycete pathogen Phytophthora capsici. It is a water mold that attacks the roots, foliage, and fruit, causing root rot, crown rot, leaf lesions, fruit rot, and plant wilt. The disease affects peppers, squash, watermelon, cucumber, cantaloupe, and other vegetable crops.
Phytophthora
The pathogen Phytophthora capsici causes Phytophthora Crown Rot, Phytophthora blight, and Phytophthora fruit rot.
Spring 2020 Watermelon Spotlight | VSC News
The April 2020 edition of Vegetable and Specialty Crop News discusses Phytophthora fruit rot, Downy mildew, and Fusarium wilt.
Hausbeck lab publishes article on Age-Related Resistance to Phytophthora capsici in Squash
Changes in Winter Squash Fruit Exocarp Structure Associated with Age-Related Resistance to Phytophthora capsici
by Safa A. Alzohairy, Ray Hammerschmidt, and Mary K. Hausbeck
Phytophthora crown rot on cucurbits and peppers requires an aggressive approach | MSU Extension Vegetables
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.
The Study of Cucumber Resistance to Phytophthora Capsici | MSU
Ben Mansfeld’s research focuses on cucumber resistance to Phytophthora capsici (a fungus-like plant disease that affects many crops including cucurbits).
Managing Mildews and Phytophthora Blight Successfully in 2019 | Cornell Vegetable Program
Long Island Horticultural Research & Extension Center’s Margaret T. McGrath discussed cucurbit disease management in New York at the 2019 Empire State Producers Expo. Managing diseases is an important component of a successful production program for cucurbit crops because there are several diseases that can reduce yield or fruit quality when not adequately managed. The mildews […]
CucCAP Plant Pathologists conduct Disease Management Workshops
Extension vegetable pathologist Mary Hausbeck was joined by CucCAP plant pathologists Lina Quesada from NC State and Chris Smart from Cornell University for a series of disease management workshops in Michigan.
Phytophthora and Downy Mildew Workshop for Vegetable Growers
Learn the latest research-based strategies for managing cucurbit downy mildew and Phytophthora capsici in pickling cucumbers. Our special guest Dr. Lina Quesada-Ocampo of North Carolina State University—a national leader in research on cucurbit downy mildew-will partner with Dr. Mary Hausbeck to give an in-depth overview of the biology and control of these devastating diseases.
