Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. melonis. [Descriptions of Fungi and Bacteria].
Abstract A description is provided for Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. melonis. Information is included on the disease caused by the organism, its transmission, geographical distribution, and hosts. HOSTS: Cucumis melo. DISEASE: Causes a destructive wilt of muskmelon and cantaloupe. The casaba or winter melon is resistant (e.g. var. Honey Dew). Infection occurs on seedlings (pre-emergence and post-emergence damping-off) and older plants (leaf chlorosis, stunting and generai wilt). Streaks appear on the stems up to 0.6 m long; they become necrotic and bear the salmon-pink sporulating masses. In some cases stem cracks develop and a brownish exudate forms. The vascular elements become orange-red and the fruit is much reduced in size. The formae speciales of F. oxysporum from muskmelon and watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) will each attack the seedlings of both hosts, but older plants are susceptible only to their own f.sp. Generally the virulence of a given isolate is greater on its original host (12: 744; 27: 307; 31: 473; Leach, 1936). Cucumber (Cucumis sativus) and marrow (Cucurbita pepo) are resistant (39: 117). GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION: Generai in North America (U.S.A., Canada) and Europe. Also reported from Asia (Formosa, Iraq, Japan, Philippines) and Australasia (Australia). TRANSMISSION: Through soil and seed (Leach, 1936).