Insights of gummy stem blight disease in Karnataka

Abstract

Water melon (Citrullus lanatus) is an important commercial, cucurbitaceous vegetable cultivated throughout the year. Gummy stem blight (GSB) poses a significant challenge to the cultivation of cucurbitaceous vegetables worldwide. This disease leads to complete wilting of the plants and potential yield losses of up to 100 percent. In 2022-2023, a roving field survey was conducted in a few watermelon-growing regions of Karnataka. The districts of Karnataka were covered were Chamarajanagaraa, Chikkaballapura, Koppal, Kolar, Tumkuru and Yadgiri. GSB incidence was found in every district. Disease severity varied from 28.88 to 46.66, where Chikkaballapura district has the maximum disease severity and Bengaluru Urban recorded the lowest disease severity. Gummy stem blight disease, the pathogen was isolated and artificially challenged and proving Koch’s postulates showing S. cucurbitacearum as the causal organism of GSB in watermelon.