Diseases

Fusarium wilt of bottle gourd

Lagenaria siceraria (Molina) Standl.

Fusarium wilt of bottle gourd (Lagenaria siceraria) is caused by the specialized fungus Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lagenariae, which infects the plant's vascular system. The disease leads to rapid leaf yellowing, necrosis of the stem base, and total crop death within a few weeks.

In the reference 7 varieties crop Calabash, where this is mentioned in the description.

The primary pathogen of the disease is Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lagenariae, although the role of Fusarium moniliforme is also noted in literature. The fungus enters the plant and colonizes the vascular system, causing distinct browning of the xylem. Externally, this manifests as yellowing of the lower leaves and loss of turgor, which progress to rapid wilting and decay of the stem's root zone. Young plants can die within 10–15 days after emergence, while mature specimens die within 20 days of the first symptoms.

Genetic resistance of bottle gourd to this pathogen is under investigation. Genome-wide association studies have identified SNP markers associated with resistance, which are localized on chromosomes 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, and 9. HG_GLEAN_10011803 is considered a promising candidate gene with a pronounced effect. Currently, no standardized nomenclature for resistance genes in bottle gourd, similar to the alphanumeric designations used in other cucurbits, has been established.

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

Sources7

Varieties of Calabash 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.