Cucurbit Downy Mildew: A Unique Pathosystem for Disease Forecasting

2004 ◽  
pp. 69-80 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. J. Holmes ◽  
C. E. Main ◽  
Z. T. Keever
Keyword(s):  
Downy Mildew ◽  
Disease Forecasting ◽  
Cucurbit Downy Mildew

Temporal Dynamics and Severity of Cucurbit Downy Mildew Epidemics as Affected by Chemical Control and Cucurbit Host Type

Plant Disease ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Isaack Kikway ◽  
Anthony P. Keinath ◽  
Peter S. Ojiambo
Keyword(s):  
Downy Mildew ◽  
Disease Severity ◽  
Temporal Dynamics ◽  
Parameter Estimates ◽  
Spring Season ◽  
Fall Season ◽  
Fungicide Treatment ◽  
Cucurbit Downy Mildew ◽  
Disease Progress ◽  
Host Type

Cucurbit downy mildew caused by the oomycete Pseudoperonospora cubensis is an important disease that affects members of Cucurbitaceae family globally. However, temporal dynamics of the disease have not been characterized at the field scale to understand how control strategies influence disease epidemics. Disease severity was assessed visually on cucumber and summer squash treated with weekly alternation of chlorothalonil with either cymoxanil, fluopicolide or propamocarb, during the 2018 spring season and 2019 and 2020 fall seasons in North Carolina, and the 2018 and 2020 fall seasons in South Carolina. Disease onset was observed around mid-June during the spring season and early September during the fall season, followed by a rapid increase in severity until mid-July in the spring season and late September or mid-October in the fall season, typical of polycyclic epidemics. The Gompertz, logistic and monomolecular growth models were fitted to disease severity using linear regression and parameter estimates used to compare the effects of fungicide treatment and cucurbit host type on disease progress. The Gompertz and logistic models were more appropriate than the monomolecular model in describing temporal dynamics of cucurbit downy mildew, with the Gompertz model providing the best description for 34 of the 44 epidemics examined. Fungicide treatment and host type significantly (P < 0.0001) affected standardized area under disease progress curve (sAUDPC), final disease severity (Final DS) and weighted mean absolute rates of disease progress (ρ), with these variables, in most cases, being significantly (P < 0.05) lower in fungicide treated plots than in untreated control plots. Except in a few cases, sAUDPC, Final DS and ρ were lower in cases where chlorothalonil was alternated with fluopicolide or propamocarb than in cases where chlorothalonil alternated with cymoxanil or when chlorothalonil was applied alone. These results characterized the temporal progress of cucurbit downy mildew and provided an improved understanding of the dynamics of the disease at the field level. Parameters of disease progress obtained from this study could serve as inputs in simulation studies to assess the efficacy of fungicide alternation in managing fungicide resistance in this pathosystem.

scholarly journals Fungicides for Control of Downy Mildew on Pickling Cucumber in Michigan

2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
pp. 165-169 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katelyn E. Goldenhar ◽  
Mary K. Hausbeck
Keyword(s):  
Downy Mildew ◽  
Untreated Control ◽  
Field Studies ◽  
Pseudoperonospora Cubensis ◽  
Relative Area ◽  
Disease Progress Curve ◽  
Cucurbit Downy Mildew ◽  
Disease Progress ◽  
Pickling Cucumber ◽  
Progress Curve

Michigan growers rely on fungicides to limit cucurbit downy mildew (CDM), incited by Pseudoperonospora cubensis; resistance of the pathogen to fungicides is a concern. We evaluated fungicides against CDM in Michigan field studies from 2015 to 2017. According to the relative area under the disease progress curve (rAUDPC), in 2015, mandipropamid, propamocarb, fluxapyroxad/pyraclostrobin, copper octanoate, and dimethomorph resulted in disease levels similar to the control. These treatments, along with cymoxanil, were similar to the control in 2016. Fungicides that were ineffective during 2015 and 2016 did not limit CDM in 2017. Famoxadone/cymoxanil and fluopicolide did not limit CDM in 2017. Each year, the following treatments were similar for disease based on rAUDPC data: oxathiapiprolin applied alone or premixed with chlorothalonil or mandipropamid, ametoctradin/dimethomorph, fluazinam, mancozeb/zoxamide, cyazofamid, and ethaboxam. An exception occurred in 2017, when ethaboxam was less effective than fluazinam, oxathiapiprolin/chlorothalonil, and oxathiapiprolin/mandipropamid. Mancozeb and chlorothalonil treatments were similar in 2015 and 2017, according to rAUDPC data. In 2017, yields were increased for oxathiapiprolin/chlorothalonil, oxathiapiprolin/mandipropamid, mancozeb, ametoctradin/dimethomorph, mancozeb/zoxamide, ethaboxam, cyazofamid, chlorothalonil, and fluazinam compared with the untreated control.

scholarly journals Resurgence of Cucurbit Downy Mildew in the United States: A Watershed Event for Research and Extension

Plant Disease ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 99 (4) ◽  
pp. 428-441 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gerald J. Holmes ◽  
Peter S. Ojiambo ◽  
Mary K. Hausbeck ◽  
Lina Quesada-Ocampo ◽  
Anthony P. Keinath
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
North Carolina ◽  
Downy Mildew ◽  
The United States ◽  
Crop Loss ◽  
Eastern United States ◽  
Cucumis Sativus L ◽  
Cucurbit Downy Mildew ◽  
Control Programs ◽  
Rapid Spread

In 2004, an outbreak of cucurbit downy mildew (CDM) caused by the oomycete Pseudoperonospora cubensis (Berk. & M. A. Curtis) Rostovzev resulted in an epidemic that stunned the cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) industry in the eastern United States. The disease affects all major cucurbit crops, including cucumber, muskmelon, squashes, and watermelon. Although the 2004 epidemic began in North Carolina, the cucumber crop from Florida to the northern growing regions in the United States was devastated, resulting in complete crop loss in several areas. Many cucumber fields were abandoned prior to harvest. The rapid spread of the disease coupled with the failure of fungicide control programs surprised growers, crop consultants, and extension specialists. The epidemic raised several fundamental questions about the potential causes for the resurgence of the disease. Some of these questions revolved around whether the epidemic would recur in subsequent years and the possible roles that changes in the host, pathogen, and environment may have played in the epidemic.

scholarly journals Interactive Effects of Temperature and Leaf Wetness Duration on Sporangia Germination and Infection of Cucurbit Hosts by Pseudoperonospora cubensis

Plant Disease ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 96 (3) ◽  
pp. 345-353 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. N. Neufeld ◽  
P. S. Ojiambo
Keyword(s):  
Leaf Area ◽  
Downy Mildew ◽  
Disease Severity ◽  
Leaf Wetness ◽  
Pseudoperonospora Cubensis ◽  
Weibull Function ◽  
Leaf Wetness Duration ◽  
Cucurbit Downy Mildew ◽  
Host Type ◽  
Effects Of Temperature

Outbreaks of cucurbit downy mildew caused by Pseudoperonospora cubensis are dependent on the weather but effects of temperature and leaf wetness duration on infection have not been studied for different cucurbits. To determine the effects of these two weather variables on sporangia germination and infection of cucurbit host types by P. cubensis, three host types; cucumber (‘Straight 8’), cantaloupe (‘Kermit’), and acorn squash (‘Table Queen’), were inoculated and exposed to leaf wetness durations of 2 to 24 h at six constant temperatures ranging from 5 to 30°C in growth-chamber experiments. Sporangia germination was assessed after each wetness period, and leaf area infected was assessed 5 and 7 days after inoculation. Germination of sporangia was highest on cantaloupe (16.5 to 85.7%) and lowest on squash (10.7 to 68.9%), while disease severity was highest and lowest on cucumber and cantaloupe, respectively. Host type, temperature, wetness duration and their interactions significantly (P < 0.0001) affected germination and disease severity. Germination and disease data for each host type were separately fitted to a modified form of a Weibull function that characterizes a unimodal response and monotonic increase of germination or infection with temperature and wetness duration, respectively. The effect of host type on germination and infection was characterized primarily by differences in the upper limit parameter in response to temperature. Differences among host types based on other parameters were either small or inconsistent. Temperature and wetness duration that supported a given level of germination or infection varied among host types. At 20°C, 15% leaf area infected was expected following 2, 4, and 8 h of wetness for cucumber, squash, and cantaloupe, respectively. When temperature was increased to 25°C, 15% disease severity was expected following 3, 7, and 15 h of wetness for cucumber, squash, and cantaloupe, respectively. Risk charts were constructed to estimate the potential risk of infection of cucurbit host types by P. cubensis based on prevailing or forecasted temperature and leaf wetness duration. These results will improve the timing and application of the initial fungicide spray for the control of cucurbit downy mildew.

Addressing the Gaps in our Knowledge of Grapevine Downy Mildew for Improved Forecasting and Management

2007 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 66 ◽  
Author(s):  
Megan M. Kennelly ◽  
David M. Gadoury ◽  
Wayne F. Wilcox ◽  
Peter A. Magarey ◽  
Robert C. Seem
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Downy Mildew ◽  
Primary Infection ◽  
Weather Conditions ◽  
Plasmopara Viticola ◽  
Disease Forecasting ◽  
Knowledge Gaps ◽  
Grapevine Downy Mildew ◽  
Complex Interactions ◽  
High Viability

The complex interactions of Plasmopara viticola with environment and host make grapevine downy mildew an ideal candidate for disease forecasting. However, a forecasting model is only as good as the knowledge used to build it, and DMCast is no exception. We addressed some knowledge gaps concerning this disease: (i) initial timing and span of primary infection; (ii) survival of the lesions and sporangia; and (iii) critical period of fruit susceptibility. Experiments revealed that, though emerging shoots are susceptible earlier than previously thought, primary infection frequently occurs near the confluence of a specific host phenological stage and certain weather conditions. Primary infection also may trigger new epidemics later in the season than was traditionally hypothesized. Lesions declined with repeated sporulation cycles but, contrary to prior reports, not age alone. Sporangia died within 8 h on dry, warm days but retained high viability on cooler days. With controlled inoculations, we determined that in the New York climate, fruit of several cultivars (Chardonnay, Riesling, Concord, and Niagara) become resistant to infection by 2 to 3 weeks post-bloom. These studies have clarified several knowledge gaps and long-held assumptions that have direct implications for improving disease forecasting and disease management. Accepted for publication 14 March 2007. Published 26 July 2007.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document