Effect of some agricultural practices as alternatives for methyl bromide against the sudden wilt of melon, Galia type
2006
Mirghani, Mirghani M.
Sudden wilt of melon (Cucumis melo L.) also, known as melon collapse or vine decline induced by Monosporascus cannonballus is a worldwide problem, mainly in arid and semi-arid regions. Virgin land or soil disinfestation by fumigation with methyl bromide before planting is a common and very effective treatment for disease control. The efficiency of agricultural practices as alternatives like water regime and fruit load per plant each alone or in combination with methyl bromide was examined against M. cannonballus in melon plants, vegetative growth characteristics and fruit yield and its quality. Ideal cultivar (Galia type) was used during the two successive late summer seasons of 2002 and 2003 at Nubaria area, Alex. Desert Road. Significant reduction in wilt incidence was achieved in all plots treated with methyl bromide even in the low rate (30 g/m. ). But extremely reduction in wilt incidence was obtained with doubling the rate of methyl bromide with doubling the rate of methyl bromide (60 g/m. ). Significant reduction in wilt incidence was noticed with increasing irrigation regime. Mortality of 53.1% was observed in plants with an average of 3 fruits/plant but, with fruit thinned to one or two/plant, the wilt incidence was 36.1 and 43.20%, respectively. Consequently, vegetative growth characteristics yield and fruit quality were affected by agricultural practices as alternatives for methyl bromide against melon wilt incidence. The highest value of plant dry weight, root dry weight, number of main stems/plant, plant vine length, average leaf area relative growth rate and net assimilation rate were significantly increased with increasing both of water regime and methyl bromide rate but these parameters were decreased by increasing number of fruits/plants.
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