Publication for identification of fungal diseases of watermelon

In easy and objective language, the publication presents the main fungal diseases that affect watermelon crops, described by their causal agent, symptoms and control measures. In addition to describing symptoms, there are illustrations with photographs to help identify the causal agent and correctly diagnose the disease. The epidemiological aspects that favor their occurrence are also discussed, in addition to technical recommendations of a practical nature, aiming at the adoption of an efficient integrated management of the diseases studied.

According to the publication, watermelon cultivation (Citrullus lanatus) represents an important production chain in the country, being cultivated in the most diverse environmental conditions and technological levels. It is the fourth most planted vegetable crop in Brazil, with annual production of approximately 2 million tons, cultivated in an area of ​​90 thousand hectares, with an estimated production value of around R$1,3 million.

As it is cultivated in different regions of the country, different fungal diseases occur in the crop throughout the year, causing losses to production. Some of the diseases are common to most producing regions and others are more specific to certain regions, depending on soil and climate conditions, affecting places with a low technological level more severely, where adequate control measures are not used.

The main diseases of the crop are: damping-off, powdery mildew, downy mildew, gummy blight, cercospora leaf spot, honeydew, Pythium fruit rot, anthracnose, scab or blight and fusarium wilt.

According to the researcher at Embrapa Meio Ambiente (Jaguariúna, SP) Daniel Terao, one of the authors of the publication, “the control measures recommended here for each pathosystem are tools that seek to reduce damage and economic losses as much as possible, with the least possible impact. It is important to remember that in order to adopt integrated disease management, it is first necessary to correctly identify the causal agent. From this, the most appropriate management strategy is chosen. Most of the control measures recommended for fungal diseases consist of preventive actions, which begin with choosing the area, using healthy seeds and eliminating residues from previous crops. Tolerant cultivars and crop rotation are also important, despite often being neglected by producers, or hampered by market demand and available area on properties”, he explains.

The authors Daniel Terao, Kátia de Lima Nechet, Bernardo de Almeida Halfeld-Vieira e Rita de Cássia Sousa Dias (Embrapa Semiárido) hope that the information presented will contribute to the correct diagnosis of fungal diseases in watermelon and to integrated management, aiming to prevent losses in the production system.

Technical Notice 58 can be downloaded free of charge at Embrapa Environment page.