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fairfield connecticut

Can someone identify ? My plants have some kind of rot at breaks in leafstem and at culled fruit end. It is bright orange and is traveling inside of vines wilting (to death) each leaf as it goes. This rot is verry orange and wet. The orange in the vines can only be seen when vine is split open.

8/17/2005 10:25:23 PM

Leamington, Ont.

Sounds like squash vine borers.

8/17/2005 11:12:35 PM

[email protected]

No, but that what I though too when Wyatt called today.

We investigated this condition together this afternoon. The only insects present were some maggots that were taking advantage of the decaying vegetable matter.

Here are the pictures:

http://www.bigpumpkins.com/DisplayPhoto.asp?pid=3780&gid=-21025

This is a new one on me. I would suspect Fusarium. But I've never seen it so distictly orange.

Wyatt,

I'm sorry I didn't have time tonight to call with a proper setting for that sprayer. More to follow.

8/18/2005 12:20:00 AM

[email protected]

Wyatt,

Look at this link:

http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/cucurbit/stem/16.3.html

Fusarium Wilt

Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cucumerinum on cucumber, fusarium oxysporum f. sp. melonis on cantaloupe, Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. niveum on watermelon


Symptoms:
Serious problem in cucumber, watermelon and cantaloupe plantings. This disease may be expressed as damping off of young seedlings, or may be expressed as rapid wilting and vine decline of mature plants as they encounter stress. A yellow or brown discoloration may be noticed in the water conducting tissue when stem is cut in cross section.

Control:
Race-specific resistance is widely available in commercial seed lines. Use disease resistant varieties. Fungus may survive in infected fields for many years and may be spread from field to field by farm equipment.

8/18/2005 12:27:06 AM

[email protected]

Wyatt,

Do you remember that the water falling out of the leaf stalks was stained an orange/brown?

8/18/2005 12:36:21 AM

Leamington, Ont.

Ooops sorry.
wow, those pics made me cringe!

8/18/2005 7:16:46 AM

fairfield connecticut

The water in leave stalk sometime clear sometime brown. Last night I cut back every bit of orange rot I could find and then some.Did not put any cuttings in compost.I also do not plan on watering until everything is compleatly dry.Always something. You cant even blink.

8/18/2005 7:28:25 AM

Follansbee, Wv

If it is Fusarium what would be the battle plan? I think things like this should be discussed and methods worked out to fight the problem, even it takes a few seasons to beat it. "may survive in infected fields for many years..." ugh.

8/18/2005 5:41:14 PM

fairfield connecticut

Came home tonight and MORE ORANGE it is only on broken wet leaf stems and wet cut vine ends It seems to be on a select area not everywhere. I will continue to dry these areas and hope this defuses the problem.

8/18/2005 8:33:16 PM