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I think that i have identified mosaic disease in my one giant pumpkin plant. The leaves are slowly changing to a greenish yellow from the tips towards the main. I had a nice pumpkin started about 13' out but it stopped growing when it was the size of a basketball. This plant is/was a great, healthy looking plant. The main tip seemed to get it first and it is slowly working its was back towards the stump. I lost another plant a few years back to the same senario. What does everyone have to say about this disease. I guess there is no saving the plant. I was on a every 7 day spray program, but the cuke beatles were always around. I asked Tom P. about this and he thought that it might be mosaic, He wanted to see some pics, I sent him some. Lets hear what everyone else has to say about this disease. Thanks

7/25/2010 6:53:45 PM

I lost a plant in '07 to watermelon mosaic (started as your's did, at the tips), spending a couple hours with UW plant pathology was very educational. That disease in WI is vectored by aphids, hosted by a couple of perenial weeds. One bite from an aphid that is a "carrier" and the healthiest plant will go down. No cure as you have learned.

Best deterent I have found is keep ahead of aphid hatches, spray any surrounding areas of weed growth for them before there is a problem. I have also left "catch" areas grow wild outside the patch to target them better.

7/25/2010 7:11:05 PM

Pataskala,OH

I though mosaic didn't kill the plant? At the SOGPG tour last year I saw a few plants with mosaic and they had some nice pumpkins going on them. Are there different types of mosaic?

7/25/2010 8:20:38 PM

yes

7/25/2010 8:41:55 PM

Midwest

Have to say that I had something like mosaic and Alliete slowed it down.

7/26/2010 12:22:24 AM

huntsburg,ohio

i say bacterial wilt the way you describe it.Jerry

7/26/2010 9:42:09 AM