Resistance to Southern Root-knot Nematode (Meloidogyne incognita) in Wild Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus var. citroides).

Southern root-knot nematode (RKN, Meloidogyne incognita) is a serious pest of cultivated watermelon (Citrullus lanatus var. lanatus) in southern regions of the United States and no resistance is known to exist in commercial watermelon cultivars. Wild watermelon relatives (Citrullus lanatus var. citroides) have been shown in greenhouse studies to possess varying degrees of resistance to RKN species. Experiments were conducted over 2 yr to assess resistance of southern RKN in C. lanatus var. citroides accessions from the U.S. Watermelon Plant Introduction Collection in an artificially infested field site at the U.S. Vegetable Laboratory in Charleston, SC. In the first study (2006), 19 accessions of C. lanatus var. citroides were compared with reference entries of Citrullus colocynthis and C. lanatus var. lanatus. Of the wild watermelon accessions, two entries exhibited significantly less galling than all other entries. Five of the best performing C. lanatus var. citroides accessions were evaluated with and without nematicide at the same field site in 2007. Citrullus lanatus var. citroides accessions performed better than C. lanatus var. lanatus and C. colocynthis. Overall, most entries of C. lanatus var. citroides performed similarly with and without nematicide treatment in regard to root galling, visible egg masses, vine vigor, and root mass. In both years of field evaluations, most C. lanatus var. citroides accessions showed lesser degrees of nematode reproduction and higher vigor and root mass than C. colocynthis and C. lanatus var. lanatus. The results of these two field evaluations suggest that wild watermelon populations may be useful sources of resistance to southern RKN.

Suppression of Fusarium Wilt Caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. niveum Race 2 on Grafted Triploid Watermelon.

Fusarium wilt of watermelon, caused by the soilborne fungal pathogen Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. niveum race 2, is a serious, widespread disease present in major watermelon-growing regions of the United States and other countries. 'Fascination,' a high yielding triploid resistant to race 1, is grown in southeastern states in fields that contain a mixture of races 1 and 2. There is some benefit to using cultivars with race 1 resistance in such fields, even though Fascination is susceptible to Fusarium wilt caused by race 2. Experiments in 2012 and 2013 were done in fields infested primarily with race 2 and a mixture of races 1 and 2, respectively. Fascination was grafted onto four rootstock cultivars: bottle gourd (Lagenaria siceraria) 'Macis' and 'Emphasis' and interspecific hybrid squash (Cucurbita maxima× C. moschata) 'Strong Tosa' and 'Carnivor.' Nongrafted and self-grafted Fascination were used as susceptible control treatments. In both experiments, mean incidence of plants with symptoms of Fusarium wilt was ≥52% in the susceptible control treatments and ≤6% on the grafted rootstocks. Disease incidence did not differ between rootstock species or cultivars. In both years, Fascination grafted onto Strong Tosa and Macis produced more marketable-sized fruit than the susceptible control treatments. Grafted Emphasis and Carnivor also produced more fruit than the control treatments in 2012. The cucurbit rootstocks suppressed Fusarium wilt caused by race 2 and increased marketable yield of triploid watermelon grown in infested soil.

Grafting for Management of Southern Root-Knot Nematode, Meloidogyne incognita, in Watermelon.

Four bottle gourd (Lagenaria siceraria) cultivars, one squash (Cucurbita moschata × C. maxima) hybrid, five wild watermelon (Citrullus lanatus var. citroides) germplasm lines, and one commercial wild watermelon (C. lanatus var. citroides) cultivar were evaluated as rootstocks for cultivated watermelon (C. lanatus var. lanatus) in fields infested with the southern root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne incognita) in Charleston, SC in 2007 and 2008, and in Quincy, FL in 2008. Commercial watermelon 'Fiesta' (diploid seeded) and 'Tri-X 313' (triploid seedless) scions were grafted onto the rootstocks in 2007 and 2008, respectively. In 2007, the plants grafted on rootstock from the wild watermelon germplasm line RKVL 318 had significantly less (P < 0.05) root galling than nongrafted 'Fiesta' watermelon or plants with the squash hybrid or bottle gourd rootstocks. In 2008, 'Fiesta' plants with rootstocks from all five wild watermelon germplasm lines and the commercial watermelon rootstock had significantly less (P < 0.05) root galling than plants with the squash hybrid or bottle gourd rootstocks. Root galling of the squash hybrid and bottle gourd rootstocks was severe (78 to 99%) in both years. Root galling for nongrafted 'Fiesta' and 'Tri-X 313' watermelon was 36 and 50%, respectively. Root galling for the wild watermelon germplasm lines ranged from 11 to 34% and 36 to 44% in 2007 and 2008, respectively. Wild watermelon germplasm lines derived from C. lanatus var. citroides were identified that may be useful as resistant rootstocks for managing root-knot nematodes in watermelon.

Supplemental control of lepidopterous pests on Bt transgenic sweet corn with biologically-based spray treatments.

Biologically-based spray treatments, including nucleopolyhedroviruses, neem, and spinosad, were evaluated as supplemental controls for the fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith), and corn earworm, Helicoverpa zea (Boddie) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), on transgenic sweet corn, Zea mays (L.) (Poales: Poaceae), expressing a Cry1Ab toxin from Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner (Bacillales: Bacillaceae) (Bt). Overall, transgenic corn supported lower densities of both pests than did nontransgenic corn. Control of the fall armyworm was improved in both whorl-stage and tassel-stage corn by the use of either a nucleopolyhedrovirus or neem, but the greatest improvement was seen with spinosad. Only spinosad consistently reduced damage to ears, which was caused by both pest species. In general, efficacy of the spray materials did not differ greatly between transgenic and nontransgenic corn.