Field Response of Cucurbit Hosts to Pseudoperonospora cubensis in Michigan

Abstract

Downy mildew, caused by Pseudoperonospora cubensis, is a severe foliar disease of many cucurbit crops worldwide. Forty-one cucurbit cultigens (commercial cultivars and plant introductions) from five genera (Cucumis, Citrullus, Cucurbita, Lagenaria, and Luffa) were assessed for susceptibility to P. cubensis in a research field exposed to natural inoculum in Michigan. Eight cultigens from a differential set for pathotype determination were included within the 41 cultigens to detect changes in dominant P. cubensis pathotypes present. No pathotype differences were found between 2010 and 2011. Cucumis melo cultigen MR-1 was less susceptible to Michigan P. cubensis populations than other C. melo cultigens. No symptoms or signs of infection were detected on cultigens of Cucurbita moschata and C. pepo. Disease onset was later in 2011 than 2010; greater than 90% disease severity in pickling cucumber ‘Vlaspik’ was observed in both years. This study confirmed that Cucumis is the most susceptible cucurbit genus, while Citrullus and Cucurbita cultigens were the least susceptible genera to populations of P. cubensis in Michigan. Area under the disease progress curve values indicated that disease progress was limited on all Citrullus cultigens compared with Cucumis cultigens, and pathogen sporulation was not detected under field conditions. Future studies should evaluate the ability of a reduced fungicide program to control downy mildew on less susceptible Cucumis melo ‘Edisto 47’, ‘Primo’, ‘Athena’, ‘Strike’, ‘Ananas’, ‘Banana’, and ‘Tam-Dew’. Many of the melon cultivars evaluated were selected on the basis of reported resistance to downy mildew, yet they showed significant disease symptoms. It is important to evaluate candidate cultigens for resistance to local P. cubensis populations.