Tag: cucurbit downy mildew
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Reminders about Managing Cucurbit Downy Mildew with Fungicides

From Clemson Plant Pathologist Tony Keinath Cucurbit Downy Mildew This Fall Warm days and cool nights help create long dew periods in the fall, weather is ideal for cucurbit downy mildew (CDM) to start and spread, as reported in the Weekly Field Update – 9/15/25. We have not yet seen CDM in our fall sentinel…
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Cucurbit Disease Update for Mid-May 2025 (Downy Mildew Found in SC)

From Clemson Plant Pathologist Tony Keinath Despite relatively dry conditions this spring, two foliar diseases have shown up on cucurbits in different parts of South Carolina. Gummy stem blight was found on watermelon in the Central Savannah River Area, and downy mildew was found on cucumbers at Coastal REC. Five of 23 watermelon samples (that’s…
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Downy Mildew Found on Cucumber and Squash in Charleston

By Clemson Plant Pathologist Dr. Anthony Keinath Similar to 2023, cucurbit downy mildew was found at Coastal REC in mid-September, last Friday the 13th, on cucumber and butternut squash transplanted August 15. Interestingly, cucumbers transplanted about 2 weeks ago didn’t have downy mildew…yet. Symptoms on both cucumber and squash means that both strains of cucurbit downy…
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Weekly Field Update – 5/13/24

Cucurbit downy mildew was found in the state this past week on cucumbers in Charleston. All commercial cucurbit growers need to be on the look out and start preventative fungicide applications, if not already started. See details below. Keep an eye on the Upcoming Events tab periodically so you don’t miss anything. Also, check out…
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Cucumber Cultivar Response to Downy Mildew

From Clemson Plant Pathologist Tony Keinath This blog is an update on the preliminary cucumber cultivar reactions to downy mildew posted on June 16, 2023. Use the info in this blog to choose cultivars. Clearly, a few cultivars had temporarily “escaped” infection, although I don’t know how that was possible. In addition, the resistances originally…
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Cucurbit Downy Mildew Found in SC

Prepared by Rob Last, Justin Ballew, and Tony Keinath. Cucurbit downy mildew was identified in South Carolina on 5/12/23. The identification came from butternut squash grown in a sentinel plot at the Coastal REC in Charleston. The same strain that affects butternut squash also affects watermelon and summer squash. Now that downy mildew has been…
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Weekly Field Update – 8/29/22

Coming up this week, the SC Dept. of Agriculture and Clemson Extension are working together to offer the South Carolina Produce Safety Rule Grower Training online 8/30 & 8/31 from 1-5:30pm. It is too late to get on-board for this week, but the final online training for the year is scheduled for the end of…
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Downy Mildew Spreads to Charleston, SC

From Clemson Plant Pathologist Tony Keinath and Extension Agent Zack Snipes. Downy mildew was found on non-sprayed “sentinel” cucumbers at Coastal REC, Charleston, SC, on June 1. Two susceptible slicing cultivars (Silver Slicer and Poinsette) had 5% leaf area diseased, while the resistant cultivars Citadel pickling and DMR-NY401 slicing and the moderately resistant Bristol slicing…
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Cucurbit Downy Mildew Arrives in SC

Prepared by Rob Last. Cucurbit downy mildew has been identified in South Carolina this morning (5/25/22). The identification came from a field of cucumbers in Bamberg County. Please remember to make fungicide applications seven days apart, a stretch longer than this is likely to increase the potential for disease spread. For cucumbers, some suggested products…
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Planting Cucumbers Early Avoids Downy Mildew and Increases Yield without Fungicides

From Clemson Plant Pathologist Tony Keinath Growers who have flexibility in deciding when to plant cucumbers should plant them within 1 month of the earliest recommended planting date for their region. Planting dates for commercial growers are in the Southeast Vegetable Crop Handbook (Pg 75). Planting dates for home gardeners are in fact sheet HGIC…