Tag: Disease alert
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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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White Mold is Active so Spray Now

From Clemson Plant Pathologist Tony Keinath and Extension Associate Justin Ballew The freezing weather the week of January 21, 2025, was just what the Sclerotinia white mold fungus was waiting for. While cold temperatures discourage most animals from being active, freezing temperatures trigger Sclerotinia sclerotia (the survival structures in soil) to germinate, produce tiny mushrooms,…
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And So It Begins…Neopest is Starting to Show Up.

By Guido Schnabel It is early October 2024 and as feared and expected, we are starting to see Neopestalotiopsis symptoms in strawberry fields. The leaf in Fig. 1 (left) displays leaf necrosis and was collected from a South Carolina farm October 4, 2024. Necrosis on leaves can be caused by many things, but if you…
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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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Urgent: Powdery Mildew Found on Watermelon in Charleston, SC

From Clemson Plant Pathologist Tony Keinath. Powdery mildew was found on three cultivars of seedless watermelon at the Clemson Coastal REC on May 23, 2023. All watermelon crops in South Carolina should be 1) scouted for powdewry mildew and 2) if found, sprayed to prevent powdery mildew from reducing yields by up to 40%. When…
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Choanephora Blight Found on Green Bean in Charleston

From Clemson Plant Pathologist Tony Keinath, Clemson Plant Breeder Sandra Branham, and Clemson Graduate Student Morgan Stone. Due to frequent rains, cloudy weather, and high humidity, Choanephora blight or wet rot was found throughout a one-acre planting of green bean cultivars and breeding lines at Coastal REC last week. Growers and home gardeners may see…
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Downy Mildew on Watermelon Found in SC
From Clemson Plant Pathologist Tony Keinath. Downy mildew was found on watermelon this week in Allendale and Barnwell counties. Although downy mildew does not infect fruit, it reduces sugar content once 1 in 4 leaves (25%) are infected. All watermelons should be sprayed with a fungicide effective against downy mildew. See pages 214-215 in the…
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Cucurbit Downy Mildew Found In SC
Cucurbit downy mildew was found in SC this week in Bamberg, Barnwell, and Calhoun Counties. In each case it was found on cucumbers and for now severity seems low. This is about two weeks earlier than in the past couple years. If not already doing so, all cucumber and cantaloupe growers in SC should begin…
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Downy Mildew Found on Watermelon in SC
Downy mildew was found yesterday, June 17, 2020, in one watermelon field in Bamberg County, South Carolina. All growers should immediately spray watermelon with Ranman, Revus, or Gavel to protect their crops from downy mildew. In addition to direct yield loss, loss of vine cover can expose fruit to sunburn (when the sun comes out…
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Field Update – 6/8/20 (Downy Mildew Arrives in SC)
Statewide Downy mildew was found in Charleston, SC late last week on cucumbers. This is the first confirmed report of the 2020 season. If not already doing so, all cucumber and canteloupe growers should begin applying protective fungicides to help prevent or manage downy mildew. Ranman tank-mixed with a protectant such as chlorothalonil, mancozeb, or…