Gummy stem blight ( GSB ) is a destructive disease that affects various cucurbits , such as watermelon vine , cantaloupe , cucumber , pumpkin , squeeze , muskmelon , and other melon . The main culprit creditworthy for this disease is a fungus call Didymella bryoniae .
I have bump gummy stem blight in my own garden , and let me tell you , it can be quite withering . The first sign of infection is typically the appearing of small , grim brown lesions on the leaves , stems , and leafstalk of the affected plants . These lesions may enlarge over time and become sunken and necrotic , resulting in the wilt and eventual demise of the plant .
Didymella bryoniae , the fungus behind gummy stalk blight , is a unnerving adversary for cucurbit growers . It thrives in warm and humid conditions , making it particularly problematic in region with raging and humid summers . The fungus can survive in plant dust and dirt for extended periods , making harvest rotation and right sanitisation crucial in manage the disease .
The life oscillation of Didymella bryoniae involves both sexual and asexual reproduction . During the growing season , the fungus produces pycnidia , which are little , black fruiting body that contain asexual spore prognosticate conidium . These conidia are easily dispersed by wind , rain , and even human activities , contribute to the feast of the disease .
In accession to nonsexual reproduction , the fungus also undergo intimate reproduction , forming perithecia , which are flaskful - shaped fruiting body . These perithecia contain ascospore , the sexual spores of the fungus . ascospore are release into the environment and can infect susceptible cucurbit plants , initiating new viscid stalk blight infection .
Once the fungus enter a plant host , it colonizes the tissues , make the characteristic symptoms of gummy stem turn blight . The infected plant tissues may produce a pasty exudate , hence the name of the disease . This viscid exudate can be observed on the surface of the lesions , and it serves as a way for the fungus to further spread and taint neighboring plants .
Management of gummy stalk blight demand a multi - faceted attack . Cultural practices such as harvest rotation , right sanitation , and remotion of infected plant detritus are all-important in reducing the inoculum levels in the field . Planting repellent cultivars can also be an effective scheme in minimize the impact of the disease .
Fungicides can be used as a preventive measure or for curative purposes if applied betimes in the disease development . However , it is authoritative to rotate the function of different fungicides with different modes of activity to keep the developing of fungicide resistance in the pathogen universe .
The causative being of gummy root word blight is the fungus Didymella bryoniae . This destructive pathogen infects various cucurbits and can cause significant yield losses if not properly managed . Understanding its life story cycle and apply appropriate cultural and chemical controller measures are crucial in mitigating the impact of pasty stem blight on cucurbit crop .
Caroline Bates
