• Leaf - water-soaked lesion, inter veinal necrotic scorch
• Lesions - surrounded by a yellow halo, & when spots dry up, they often crack
• Stems - water-soaked lesions and later appear tan
• Stem lesions often cause gummy, reddish -brown or black beads to exud Black rot
• Affected area - brownish and water soaked
• Advanced stages - rind becomes black and deeply wrinkled
• Large irregular areas of the fruit become bronzed with distinct concentric rings

• Pycnidia are produced, giving rise to conidia, which serve as the primary inoculum
• Young pycnidia appear light brown & as they age become black
• Conidia - short and cylindrical, with usually one septum near the middle, or they may be unicellular

• Soil and seed borne
• Survives as dormant mycelium or as chlamydospores
• Under moist conditions, they are readily dispersed by splashing water

Epidemiology:

• 85%RH
• Optimal temperature - Watermelon 23.9 ° C , Muskmelon 39 ° C

• Disease-free seed
• 2-year crop rotation out of all cucurbits
• Field sanitation
• Fungicides - chlorothalanil, mancozeb and benomyl
• Cucumbers - precooled to 10oc or lower temp