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Watermelon's hidden killer
United States
Thursday 24 September 2009
New and emerging disease devastating watermelons in Florida
Watermelon vine decline (WVD) is a new and emerging disease that has created devastating economic losses for watermelon producers in Florida.
Only in 2008, the losses made by squash vein yellowing virus totaled more than US$75 million. It had been known for some time that the principal insect pests on watermelons in Florida were aphids, rindworms, whiteflies and thrips, but it took two years of research to determine that squash vein yellowing virus, transmitted by the silverleaf whitefly, was responsible for WVD.
Screening of watermelon germplasm for resistance to squash vein yellowing virus in greenhouse trials in Fort Pierce and field trials with University of Florida scientists has yielded promising results.
