If you buy an point via links on this page , we may earn a military commission . Our editorial contentedness is not influence by commissions . Read the full disclosure .

The joyfulness of growing fresh , sun - warmed melon can quickly and easy exchange to disappointment when they get impact by disease .

In some time of year , melon diseases can be fertile , and in other season they are less of an issuance , but the peril for melon is always there , especially in sure areas and weather .

Article image

Do n’t despair , though . you may always get a healthy bumper melon vine harvest with a little effort and formulation .

Do n’t give up if you ’ve had disease issues with your melon . allow us share our tips with you so you may savour your harvests .

1. Charcoal Rot

This is one of the most stern melon diseases and may be one of the most common . It ’s a soil - borne pathogen calledMacrophomina phaseolinathat has more serious effects when the melon vine plant is struggling from want of H2O or nutrients .

This pathogen can go up to 12 years in the soil . wood coal rot is a sneaky disease because it affects the plant ’s stem near the soil just after being transplanted , but the consequence do n’t become unmistakable until around harvest time .

The leaves start to yellow just when you think the melons are n’t too far from being ready . piddle - soaked wound come along on the theme . As the lesion get worse , they deaden the shank . They will also exude a yellow gum that dries and turn a charcoal colouring , hence the name .

Article image

Eventually , the works dies before the yield is fully ripened .

Treatment of Charcoal Rot

regrettably , once this disease is in the grime , it ’s too recent for treatment . fend off it is the only defence , so lease ’s count at the conditions that charcoal waste needs to infect your melon vine .

All of these tip utilize to create healthy plants in general and especially for fungal disease .

2.MonosporascusRoot Rot

Just the other names this fungal disease ( Monosporascus cannonballus ) give out by should strike concern into the melon nurseryman . The melon diseases vine decline , sudden death , sudden wilt disease , and melon flop are allMonosporascusroot bunk ..

Just the specific epithet alone should tell you that this disease slams into plants like a cannonball .

The solution are affected early in the plant ’s aliveness , but above ground , you may not notice any event until it ’s too recently .

Article image

Further into the time of year , the vine collapse or dies suddenly . Underground , the minor roots die off and lesions cover the bigger roots , preventing the roots from providing nutrient in the dirt to the eternal sleep of the plant life . Clay and silt soils are more likely to harbor this disease .

You may notice stunted plants and yield , and leaves go bad off as the disease progress . Once you dig up an infected plant that is advanced in the infection , you ’ll see smuggled swelling on the roots include the tap root . These are the fruit bodies of the fungus that help it to spread .

If you have had this issue with melons , do n’t imbed any cucurbits in this field again for at least five years , peculiarly cantaloupe .

Article image

Treatment of Monosporascus Root Rot

3. Pythium Sudden Wilt

specially damaging to watermelon vine , Pythiumis a genus of fungous pathogen initially found in big agrarian field of melons . It can do havoc in a small home garden melon plot of land . None of the melon vine disease are fun , but this one is extra annoying .

The small birdfeeder roots are infect first before the lateral and rap roots become septic , leading to wilting and dying .

Pythiumlove squiffy soil , so the disease is often find out in time of year wetting agent than normal , especially combined with high humidity degree . If the plant life was water - stressed before sit in soggy soil , Pythiumwill likely wipe out the melon flora . It also causes the fruit to rot .

Article image

The sign that suggestsPythiumis present is the temporary wilting of plants during the day ’s heat . This is come by the sudden collapse and destruction of the vine .

Treatment ofPythiumWilt

4. Gummy Stem Blight

Also known as dim rot , gummy radical blight ( Didymella bryoniaesyn . Mycosphaerella melonis ) will also infect pumpkins , squash , and cucumber .

Unlike grunge - borne pathogen , this fungal pathogen exist in all of the plant life parts above the soil , such as stem , leave of absence , vine , and fruit . It can also survive on bushed works debris .

The first foretoken is ordinarily ellipse - shaped canker sore on the vine and stems . A chocolate-brown sticky gum will exudate from them . The leaves will show brown or black necrotic musca volitans that bulge at the edges of the foliage before go into the centre and taking up the whole foliage .

Article image

As the plant die and the lesions become advanced , you may see diminutive black spots , which are the fruiting bodies of the fungus . You will need a magnify looking glass to see them .

The melon also get lesions that front like gravid water - hook spots that may also exude the embarrassing brownish gum .

Eventually , the plant dies , and the melons are not eatable .

Article image

Although gummy stem blight may look like other disease of melons , the game show is the lesions on the stem and vine secretive to leaf node and the gummy mixture that oozes from them .

Treatment of Gummy Stem Blight

5. Cucumber Green Mottle Mosaic (CGMM)

This is a sensibly new virus in the US , though it ’s present , and one we need to be aware of . It affects all cucurbits , especially melon and , in finicky , watermelon . Do n’t you sleep together new melon vine diseases ? As if we did n’t have enough ?

The symptoms can be seen on the leaves and vine , and it causes meaning payoff loss for the nursing home nurseryman . It ’s well spread and overwinters in septic plant life material allow for in the garden .

You will see a sparkle and dark-skinned fleeceable mosaic pattern on the leafage . Older leaves take on a bleached appearing , and eventually , the foliage drop off , specially if the weather is cooler than usual . Growth is stunted , and yield is seriously affect .

Article image

Sometimes the fruit looks unaffected , or it can be mottled , distorted or have streaked pelt . The interior of the melon will be unripe and often colourless .

This computer virus is not spread through insects . It ’s diffuse by way of infected seeds or seedlings and garden putz .

There is no therapeutic , so prevention is your only option .

Article image

Treatment for Cucumber Green Mottle Mosaic Virus

6. Downy Mildew

fluffy mold is one of the most common melon disease and shock all cucurbits and many other plants . It causes oil color - similar temporary hookup on the upper parts of the leaves , espouse by yellowing and foliage distortion . scan ourguide on how to identify this oomycete and how to treat it .

7. Anthracnose

Anthracnose is bad news . It strikes quickly , can ruin your crop , and is difficult to check . It causes modest , sunken lesions that can eventually overspread and fuse . It can kill off new leaves alone and have the fruit to rot .

Visit ourguide to anthracnoseto learn more .

8. Powdery Mildew

Powdery mildew is the most common of the melon vine diseases in strong , dry areas . As the same paint a picture , it causes leaf to become covered in powder - similar white fungus . This can be ornamental , or it can damage the plant enough to ensue in dead leaves and stunted growth .

Ourguide has everything you need to acknowledge about powdery mildew .

9. Fusarium Wilt

Fusarium wilting , say you might have approximate , causes the plant to droop . First , the lower leaves turn sagging and then they might deform yellow , then browned , and then fall off the plant . As the disease progresses , it moves up the plant to the upper foliage .

If you suspect you have fusarium wilting , call in our guide to learn how to deal with it . As far as melon diseases go , it ’s not as comon .

10. Alternaria Leaf Spot

Alternaria leaf pip causes angular brown spots to acquire on the parting . These might have a xanthous halo with a browned center that eventually wrench dry and tan and degenerate out . These can merge and kill off an entire leaf .

As the leave drop , they blow around the garden , spread the disease far and wide-cut . Ourguidewill help you get the problem under restraint .

Avoiding Disease

One of the reason melon are susceptible to disease is they ’re a long - terminus harvest . Even short - season melons can be up to 100 days before harvest home .

This gives diseases plenty of time to infect your crop . Many melon vine diseases infect the plant in the early stages of growth but do n’t show symptoms until stuffy to harvest .

melon vine also like peck of water supply and are heavy feeder , so if they do n’t get what they postulate , they can be stressed , leaving them vulnerable to infection .

melon vine diseases affect most cucurbits . This include gourd , squash , and Cucumis sativus . acquit this in thinker when planting those crop near your melon plant .

If you prefer a chemical - innocent garden , practice good garden hygiene and be studious with crop rotation . Also , clear away any debris and weeds where nasty pathogens overwinter .

The best tips for growing melon are to never let them become water - strain , plant them in devoid - enfeeble soil , and allow for plenty of nutrients .

Was this article helpful?

What went wrong?

This article contains faulty selective information

This article does not have the information I am looking for

How can we improve it?

We appreciate your helpful feedback!

Your answer will be used to improve our content . The more feedback you give us , the better our page can be .