Bio-efficacy of Trichoderma isolates and Bacillus subtilis against root rot of muskmelon Cucumis melo L. caused by Phytophthora drechsleri under controlled and field conditions

This experiment quantified the effects of three root rot pathogens on muskmelon (Cucumis melo L., var. cantalupensis) growth traits using computerized image analysis. Plants were grown from seed in sand infested with the soilborne pathogen Monosporascus cannonballus, Acremonium cucurbitacearum, or Rhizopycnis vagum. After 28 days in the growth chamber, images of plants were analyzed to quantify their response. Compared to noninoculated muskmelons, inoculated plants had significantly increased mean root diameter (45%), decreased root length (26%, primarily in roots of <0.5 mm diameter), decreased number of root tips (27%), decreased rhizosphere volume (40%), and decreased cumulative and mean surface area of leaves (24%). Effects of M. cannonballus on muskmelon growth were significantly different compared to A. cucurbitacearum and R. vagum. Isolate effects manifested a greater magnitude of difference on muskmelon traits than those observed at the species level. Multivariate analyses of plant responses were more powerful than univariate analyses to differentiate among effects of pathogen species and pathogen isolates. Discriminant analysis were useful to identify groups of plant traits modified by each fungal species or isolate at low disease levels. Digital image analyses proved to be a useful technique in quantitative assessment of plant damage caused by soilborne root rot pathogens.

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Differential Fruit Load in Melon (Cucumis melo L.) Affects Shoot and Root Growth, and Vine Decline Symptoms

HortScience ◽

10.21273/hortsci.32.3.526b ◽

1997 ◽

Vol 32 (3) ◽

pp. 526B-526 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

David W. Wolff ◽

Daniel I. Leskovar ◽

Mark C. Black ◽

Marvin E. Miller

Keyword(s):

Root Rot ◽

Cucumis Melo ◽

Growth Parameters ◽

Symptom Expression ◽

Germplasm Screening ◽

Fruit Maturity ◽

Vine Decline ◽

Cucumis Melo L ◽

Root Size ◽

Fruit Load

The effect of zero, one, and two fruits per vine on plant growth and reaction to Monosporascus root rot/vine decline were investigated. In the first study, four cultivars with differing levels of tolerance were evaluated (`Primo', `Deltex', `Caravelle', `Magnum 45'). Vine decline ratings were taken weekly during the harvest period for 4 weeks. Treatments with no fruit showed delayed and less-severe vine decline symptoms. Temperature also effected vine decline symptom expression. In a Fall test, with lower temperatures during fruit maturity, symptoms were delayed in all treatments and often absent in treatments with no fruit load. Vine decline symptom expression is greatly effected by physiological (fruit load) and temperature stress. A subsequent study was conducted to more precisely quantify the effect of various fruit loads on shoot/root partitioning and vine decline symptoms. In addition to growth parameters root disease ratings were taken. `Caravelle', the most-susceptible genotype, was grown under differing fruit loads as mentioned above in Weslaco and Uvalde, Texas. As fruit load increased, root size decreased. Increased vine decline symptoms were observed under higher fruit loads. The implications on germplasm screening and breeding for resistance will be discussed.

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First Report of Myrothecium verrucaria from Muskmelon Seeds

Plant Disease ◽

10.1094/pdis.1999.83.6.589c ◽

1999 ◽

Vol 83 (6) ◽

pp. 589-589 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

A. Belisario ◽

E. Forti ◽

L. Corazza ◽

H. A. van Kesteren

Keyword(s):

Root Rot ◽

Cucumis Melo ◽

Potato Dextrose Agar ◽

Main Root ◽

Differential Host ◽

First Report ◽

Myrothecium Verrucaria ◽

Petri Dishes ◽

Melon Seeds ◽

Cucumis Melo L

Myrothecium verrucaria (Albertini & Schwein.) Ditmar:Fr. was isolated from muskmelon (Cucumis melo L.) seeds of Charentais-T, a culti var used as a differential host with no resistance to Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. melonis races. A white floccose mycelial mat developed on melon seeds during incubation on moist blotters. Mycelia were mass transferred from melon seeds onto potato dextrose agar (PDA) medium. At 25°C in the dark, a mycelial mat with characteristic annelations of greenish-black sporodochia, without setae, was produced. Conidia (2 to 3 × 6 to 10 μm) were lemon shaped, with a typical conical mucous appendage at one end, which was visible with Loeffer's flagella stain (1). Based on these characteristics, the fungus was identified as M. verrucaria. For pathogenicity studies, surface sterilized seeds of C. melo cv. Charentais-T were coated with M. verrucaria conidia by gently rubbing the seeds on sporodochia produced on 15-day-old cultures on PDA. Once coated, seeds were plated onto water agar and on sterile moist blotters in 9-cm-diameter petri dishes. Plates were incubated at 28°C in the dark. Five seeds per plate and three plates per experiment were used. Experiments were replicated three times. Control seeds were plated without coating. After 7 days, on water agar, 90% of melon seeds failed to germinate while the remaining 10% produced young seedlings that died from root rot and necrotic lesions on the hypocotyl. After 12 days on moist blotters, 100% of the melon seedlings died, showing necrotic lesions on the hypocotyl and on the main root. The pathogen was reisolated from symptomatic melon seedlings. All control seeds germinated and grew into healthy seedlings. M. verrucaria, known to be a seed-borne pathogen, has been isolated from soil and plants worldwide (2). This is the first report of M. verrucaria pathogen on muskmelon. This fungus is not a serious concern when seeds are dressed with fungicides. References: (1) K. V. A. Thompson and S. C. Simmens. Nature. 193:196, 1962. (2) S.-M. Yang and S. C. Jong. Plant Dis. 79:994, 1995.

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