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Eugene,OR

I have lost significant parts of two of my 21 main vines in the last few days. For no apparent reason the leaves wilt (and don't recover) at a given point and are dead in one day. Upon uncovering the main vine at the point where the problem begins a small section of the main vine (about 2 inches long) is soft. After this small section is exposed to the air for another day this soft spot just becomes shriveled up, dry and empty. Anyone have any idea what I have going on? Will more follow? What should I do?

6/14/2005 10:01:50 PM

Hudsonville, Michigan (michiganpumpkins@sbcglobal.net)

Here's a good link showing pictures of many leaf disorders affecting cucurbits....I hate to utter the word, but from your description, could it be phyto?

http://extension-horticulture.tamu.edu/cucurbit/indexleaf.html

6/15/2005 7:19:06 AM

Eugene,OR

I think it is photophthora. What should I do?

6/15/2005 12:18:45 PM

Hudsonville, Michigan (michiganpumpkins@sbcglobal.net)

I'm no expert. Maybe Tremor can chime in here. I hope it's not phyto, but if it is, my personal opinion is to remove* all diseased plants, praying it does not spread to your other plants. Have you had a lot of rain there lately? Or too much watering? If so, let your soil dry out some.

*When I say remove, I mean get it OFF your property, not just in a compost pile at the edge of your patch. Bag it and get rid of it without dragging it through the rest of your patch.

6/15/2005 12:49:10 PM

Menomonie, WI (mail@gr8pumpkin.net)

Definetly get a tissue test done to confirm what it is.

6/15/2005 1:19:22 PM

Eugene,OR

Check out the photo of the plague in my diary. There is a picture in an earlier entry of the same plant two days before and it was perfect.

6/15/2005 7:55:59 PM