Karen Rane, Plant Disease Diagnostician, Botany & Plant Pathology, Purdue University
Several species of the plant pathogenic fungus Fusarium can cause spots
and
rot of pumpkin fruit. Symptoms range from small, pitted, corky spots to
large, sunken areas covered with a white or gray mold (Figure 1).
Fusarium
species are common soil inhabitants, but the conditions that induce
fruit
rot symptoms are unknown. Fungicide applications are not effective in
controlling this disease.
Recent work at the Ohio State University by Dr. Max Reidel and his
student
Andy Wyenandt indicates that planting pumpkins into a cover crop may
help to
reduce the incidence of Fusarium rot, by keeping the fruit
from
coming in contact with the soil. For more information on this research,
see
the Ohioline newsletter article at the following website:
http://fusion.ag.ohio-state.edu/news/story.asp?storyid=986
 |
Lesions on pumpkin fruit caused by a Fusarium species |
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