A brown, gummy substance may be evident on the surface of these open wounds. The stems may split to form open wounds called cankers. Symptoms include leaves with brown or tan spots of various sizes that may eventually cover the entire leaf. This fungus also causes a fruit rot called black rot. Gummy stem blight is a stem and leaf disease of cucumber, cantaloupe, pumpkin, and watermelon caused by the fungus Didymella bryoniae. Leaf spots caused by gummy stem blight on watermelon leaf.Ĭlemson University – USDA Cooperative Extension Slide Series, Remove all infected plants to reduce the spread of bacterium by beetles. Apply all chemicals according to directions on the label. Bees pollinate many of these vegetables, so spray all insecticides in the late afternoon. Insecticides that control striped and spotted cucumber beetles in the home vegetable garden include bifenthrin, cyhalothrin, or cypermethrin (see HGIC 2207, Cucumber, Squash, Melon & Other Cucurbit Insects). The beetles spread the wilt bacterium by feeding on infected vines and then feeding on healthy plants.īacterial wilt can be reduced in your garden if the beetles are kept under control at the first sign of activity. The bacteria are carried from plant to plant by striped or spotted cucumber beetles. Prevention & Treatment: There is no chemical control for bacterial wilt once plants become infected. Bacterial wilt is most severe on cucumber and cantaloupe and less severe on squash, pumpkin, and watermelon.

However, as the disease progresses, more leaves wilt, and eventually, the entire vine is affected. The disease is caused by the bacterium Erwinia tracheiphila, and at first may only affect a few vines on a plant. The main symptom of this disease is severe wilting of the vines, followed by rapid death of the plant. See also Fact Sheet CE-6 Cucurbit Diseases, an Aid to Identification. More information about growing cucurbit plants is available in the fact sheets: HGIC 1304, Cantaloupe & Honeydew Melon HGIC 1309, Cucumber HGIC 1321, Summer Squash and HGIC 1325, Watermelon. Remove plant debris from the garden after harvest since many diseases survive on plant debris from year to year.

Keep the garden and surrounding area free of weeds that harbor insects, which can spread viruses and bacterial wilt.

Select varieties recommended for South Carolina, especially those with some degree of disease resistance (Table 1).

Many diseases of cucurbits can be prevented or minimized in the home vegetable garden by using the following simple cultural controls:

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