The fungus Monosporascus cannonballus Pollock and Uecker infects melon (Cucumis melo L.) roots and causes root rot/vine decline disease, which has reduced productivity of commercial muskmelon and honeydew cultivars in South Texas. To assess the impact of the fungus on several root traits, two greenhouse experiments were carried out over two seasons. A comparison of inoculated vs. control root systems was carried out with four melon cultivars representing both susceptible (`Magnum 45' and `Caravelle') and tolerant types (`Deltex' and `Doublon'). The sand medium was inoculated with 50–60 colony forming units (CFUs) per gram of the severe Monosporascus strain, TX90-25. After a 30-day growth period, the control and inoculated root systems were carefully cleaned and evaluated. Roots were scanned by a computer and the data were analyzed by the Rhizo Pro 3.8 program. The traits of interest included total root length, average root diameter, number of root tips, number of fine roots (0–0.5 mm), and number of small roots (0.5–1 mm). Significant differences existed between the two tolerant cultivars and the two susceptible ones for four of the traits. Total root length, fine and small root length, and root tip number were greater for `Deltex' than for both susceptible cultivars and greater for `Doublon' than for `Caravelle'. The results suggest that tolerance to this pathogen is closely linked to the integrity of the root structure. The potential for improving root vigor to combat root rot/vine decline merits further investigation.
( Monosporascus cannonballus ) and has a vigorous root system ( Marquez et al. 2022 ). In 2005, F 2 and F 3 progeny plants were evaluated for resistance to PM ( Podosphaera xanthii ) and vine decline and for fruit quality during the spring and fall seasons at
Monosporascus root rot/vine decline (MRR/VD), caused by Monosporascus cannonballus, is a serious disease of the major melon production areas of Texas, California, and Arizona. We have previously identified differing levels of tolerance in melon germplasm based on vine disease symptoms. This study was conducted to evaluate the yield response of commercial and experimental cantaloupe and honeydew hybrids subjected to MRR/VD. Thirty-nine and six cantaloupe and honeydew hybrids, respectively, were transplanted into a field highly infested with M. cannonballus in March 1995 in a randomized, complete block with 4 replications. The field was highly infested with Monosporascus cannonballus. `Caravelle' (very susceptible) and `Deltex' (tolerant) were included as control entries. Fruit were harvested at maturity and sized. Any fruit that did not mature completely due to vine death were counted as culls (unmarketable). Marketable yield of the cantaloupe entries ranged from 26.74% to 67.35%. The most tolerant hybrids were `SR103654', `Don Carlos', `Explorer', and `Ovation'. Marketable yield of the honeydews ranged from 8.43% to 41.46%, with `Morning Ice' and `Creme de Menthe' showing the most tolerance. The best performing hybrids were evaluated again the Fall 1995 and Spring 1996 seasons. In general, genotypes which matured later, and had a more dispersed fruit set, were more tolerant to MRR/VD. This supports previous data showing that high physiological stress (heavy, concentrated fruit load) leads to more severe and rapid vine collapse.
We conducted a field screen of 130 melon cultigens to identify potential sources of host-plant resistance to Monosporascus cannonballus. Seed were sown in Speedling trays with inoculated or non-inoculated media. Plants were transplanted into a field known to be highly infested with Monosporascus cannonballus. Noninoculated plots were planted in rows that were fumigated with Telone II. Cultigens were arranged in a randomized complete block with three replications in each treatment (fumigated, nonfumigated). A disease symptom rating (1 = complete death to 5 = no symptoms) was taken at 78 and 90 days post-transplanting. Disease symptoms were most severe and occurred earliest in the inoculated, nonfumigated plots. Natural infection by Monosporascus occurred in the fumigated plots as over 95% of root samples collected contained perithecia. At the second rating date, 108 of the 130 cultigens tested were classified as moderately to highly susceptible (rating < 2.5). The four most resistant genotypes had a second rating equal or close to 4.0 (`Galia', `Deltex', `Rocky Sweet', and `Charlynne'). A group of 14 genotypes showed moderate resistance with a second rating of 3.0. Included in this group were `Morning Ice', `Doublon', `Israeli', `MR-1', `Santa Clause', and `Primo'. The physiological stress of a concentrated fruit set increases severity of vine decline symptoms.
The use of grafted vegetables as one of the alternatives to soil disinfestation with methyl bromide is increasing in Israel. Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) and melon (Cucumis melo) plants are grafted mainly onto Cucurbita rootstocks for lessening losses due to soil-borne pathogens. The contribution of the rootstock to the grafted plant's resistance depends on the nature of the disease. In general, damage caused by non-specific root-rot pathogens such as Rhizoctonia solani, Macrophomina phaseolina, Monosporascus cannonballus, and Pythium spp. are effectively reduced by using Cucurbita rootstocks. However, these rootstocks provide only partial protection from vascular diseases such as fusarium wilt, in which case better protection can be achieved by grafting susceptible melons onto monogenic fusarium-resistant melon rootstocks. The performance of the grafted plants depends not only on the rootstock but also on the scion response to pathogens and on the effect of the environment on disease development. The response of grafted and non-grafted melons of different cultivars to sudden wilt disease caused by the fungus Monosporascus cannonballus was evaluated in field trials conducted in the fall and spring growing seasons. Significant differences in disease incidence were found among cultivars, between grafted and non-grafted plants, and between seasons. Grafting reduced plant mortality in the spring and fall experiments but prevention of yield losses was more effective in the spring. More emphasis should be given to finding suitable rootstocks and adjusting agrotechniques for successful commercial cultivation of grafted melons in the fall.
A disease of muskmelon (Cucumis melo L.) characterized by a vine decline and a cortical root rot was first observed in the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas in 1986. In 1990, isolations from diseased plants collected from four commercial production fields yielded the fungus Monosporascus cannonballus. Pathogenicity tests with eight isolates confirmed Koch's postulates; however, there were differences in aggressiveness observed among isolates. M. cannonballus is an ascomycete fungus that typically produces only one (rarely two), round, jet-black ascospore per ascus. There is no known asexual stage. Temperature optimum of one isolate was 35 C. The optimum pH for growth was 6-7, but it grew well up to pH 9. M. cannonballus was first reported on muskmelon in 1970 from Arizona and recently was found in Japan under glass house culture. The presence of this fungus in Texas marks only the third report of this species worldwide, although a similar species (M. eutypoides) is the cause of a collapse of melon plants in Israel.
We conducted a field screening of melon (Cucumis melo L.) cultigens to identify potential sources of host-plant resistance to Monosporascus cannonballus Pollack & Uecker. Seed were sown in Speedling trays with inoculated or noninoculated media. Plants were transplanted into a field known to be highly infested with M. cannonballus. Cultigens were arranged in a randomized complete block with three replications in each treatment (fumigated/noninoculated, nonfumigated/inoculated). Vine decline (1 = no symptoms to 5 = dead vines) was rated at 78 and 90 days post-transplanting. Disease symptoms were most severe and occurred earliest in the inoculated, nonfumigated plots. However, natural infection by M. cannonballus occurred in the fumigated plots, as all root samples collected contained perithecia. The majority of cultigens (85%) showed moderate to severe vine decline symptoms. Mean vine decline ratings of melon types from the spring test, ranked from most tolerant to least tolerant, were: Charentais = Ananas = Galia > Misc. = Honeydew = Mixed > US cantaloupe. A Fall test of the most tolerant cultigens showed similar results, in that Ananas and Charentais types had the highest tolerance; however, Galia types performed poorly, which may be due to the different environmental conditions, or differing fruit loads on the vines in the two tests. `Deltex', an Ananas hybrid, showed the highest tolerance based on vine decline ratings in the two tests.
Vine decline is limiting muskmelon production in many growing areas. Monosporascus cannonballus Pollack and Uecker and Acremonium cucurbitacearum Alfaro-García, W. Gams, and J. García-Jiménez are the main causal agents of this disease in Spain. The wild accession Pat81 (Cucumis melo subsp. agrestis Jeffrey) has shown to be highly resistant in naturally infested fields and after artificial inoculations. In three greenhouse experiments conducted over two seasons, the root structure of Pat81 was examined and compared to the highly susceptible commercial cultivar Amarillo Canario (AC). Pat81 produced a more vigorous, branched, and longer root system, conferring to this accession a higher capacity for the uptake of water and nutrients, even after inoculation using naturally infested soil. To determine the plasticity of the root systems, the effect of five different soil substrates on root growth was assayed. The root morphology was highly influenced by the soil substrate. Differences between genotypes appeared at 10 weeks after transplanting using sand as soil substrate. An organic substrate made up of well-decomposed peat and sand minimized the genotype × substrate interactions, and facilitated root analysis. This substrate allowed bringing the sampling date forward to flowering (at 7 weeks after transplanting). The maximum root length, the number and size of lateral roots (diameter 0.5-1 mm) and branching order, consistently differed between the two genotypes in most of the assayed substrates. These easily measurable root traits can be used as selection criteria in healthy soils to breed a larger root system more tolerant to stress. In addition, in inoculated soils the greater root absorbent area and the reduced lesion intensity of Pat81 could have applications to increase vine decline resistance of cultivated melons. By using segregant populations derived from the cross AC × Pat81, we are trying to modify the root structure of muskmelon in order to offer a genetic alternative to the expensive strategy of grafting muskmelon varieties onto rootstocks resistant to soil stresses.
pathogenicity of Rhizopycnis vagum on muskmelon in Spain Plant Pathol. 52 68 73 Beltrán, R. 2006 Estudios epidemiológicos y de patogenicidad de Monosporascus cannonballus Pollack et Uecker PhD Diss. Univ. Politécnica de
susceptible to powdery mildew, but has a very vigorous vine with tolerance to late-season root and vine decline diseases caused by the fungus Monosporascus cannonballus Pollack & Uecker ( Martyn and Miller, 1996 ). A single F 2 plant from the ‘TAM Uvalde