Latest Posts

Jul 13, 2019

Cucurbit Downy Mildew ipmPIPE July epidemic updates

CDM was reported between June 20 and July 11 in VA, NJ, AL, MD, NC, and GA on cucumber, butternut squash, and watermelon.

Jul 10, 2019

Fusarium Wilt Management in Watermelons | VSCNews

Fusarium Wilt has a host range limited to watermelon. However, there are different types of this pathogen that can infect squash, cucumbers and other melons, but these types do not infect watermelon and vice versa. This is one reason why grafting with squash or other cucurbit rootstocks can nearly eliminate Fusarium Wilt.

Jul 8, 2019

Cucumber downy mildew spores detected | MSU Extension Vegetables

The Hausbeck vegetable pathology lab at Michigan State University has established a network of spore traps in major cucumber production areas of their state. This year, they have the ability to distinguish the spores of cucumber downy mildew from the spores of hop downy mildew.

Jul 8, 2019

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.

Jul 2, 2019

Managing Southern Blight in the Southeast | VSCNews

Southern blight is a severe disease of vegetables that favors warm and wet weather common to production in the Southeast.

Jun 27, 2019

Watermelon rootstock knocks out disease, pests | Morning Ag Clips

Carolina Strongback is a rootstock watermelon that is resistant to Fusarium wilt and the southern root-knot nematode, according to William “Pat” Wechter, plant pathologist with the ARS U.S. Vegetable Research Laboratory (USVL) in Charleston, South Carolina.

Jun 26, 2019

Wet, humid weather challenges vegetable disease management | MSU Extension Vegetables

Cloudy, humid and wet weather are perfect conditions for downy mildew. These conditions also favor the transport of downy mildew sporangia into our Michigan growing areas.

Jun 20, 2019

June 19 Michigan Vegetable updates | MSU Extension Vegetables

Michigan Extension agents reported on production of melons, watermelons, squash, cucumbers, and pumpkins. Reports of pests on cucurbits include cucumber beetles.

Jun 18, 2019

What to Do About Watermelon Gummy Stem Blight and Fusarium Wilt | VSCNews

Gummy stem blight (GSB) and fusarium wilt (FW) can be common problems for watermelon producers in the Southeast. These two diseases are caused by fungal pathogens from the same taxonomic subphylum, but that is where the similarities end. GSB tends to be more of a foliar pathogen that can move to the petioles and vines, and in extreme cases, the melons. FW is confined to the soil and only affects the plant’s vascular tissue. Because of these differences, the management of these pathogens tends to vary.

Jun 17, 2019

Cucurbit Downy Mildew ipmPIPE epidemic updates

CDM outbreaks for May & June 2019 were reported in GA, SC, NC, and FL.