Bacterial Leaf Spot of Cucurbits: A Menace to Cultivation

Abstract

Bacterial leaf spot is one of the important diseases of cucurbits affecting almost all the cultivated cucurbits worldwide. The disease has been reported to cause huge losses to the cucurbits as the symptoms of the disease appear on all plant parts including fruits. The disease is favoured by moderate-to-high temperatures and high humidity. The pathogen perpetuates in the seed and infected crop debris. The management efforts for the disease are still on and there are reports of its management up to more than 50 per cent level under field conditions. No resistant variety to this disease is known. However, the disease can be managed by the use of common antibiotics. The disease is an emerging disease at international and national level. Keeping in view the importance of the disease, the chapter is discussed under following headings such as occurrence, losses, symptoms, pathogenicity and host range, cultural studies, molecular characterisation, survival, disease cycle and epidemiology, host resistance and management, covering all the important aspects in the light of available literature.