Diseases

Fusarium Wilt of Melon

Cucumis melo L.

A vascular disease caused by the fungus Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. melonis, which affects the root system and vascular bundles of melon, leading to rapid wilting and plant death.

In the reference 649 varieties crop Melon, where this is mentioned in the description.

The causal agent of the disease is a specialized form of the fungus Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. melonis. The pathogen inhabits the soil and enters the plant through the roots. Globally, four races of the fungus are identified (0, 1, 2, and 1.2), of which race 1.2 is the most aggressive, capable of overcoming the action of the major resistance genes Fom-1 and Fom-2. Race 1.2 manifests in two types: 1.2w, which causes acute wilting, and 1.2y, characterized by chlorosis followed by wilting.

Initial symptoms include loss of leaf turgor, chlorotic spotting, and stunted growth. Upon cutting the stem or root, browning of the vascular bundles is observed. In breeding, resistance to Fusarium wilt of melon is controlled by Fom genes. The genes Fom-1, Fom-2, and Fom-3 provide protection against races 0, 1, and 2, whereas resistance to race 1.2 is polygenic, which is why varieties often possess only partial or complex protection.

General information about the subject — on the page Fusarium wilt and blight.

Sources8

Varieties of Melon mentioned in the description

Selection based on the description text, not on official evaluation: these data are absent from registers. For specific variety details, please refer to its profile.