ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses some commonly occurring diseases affecting cucurbits and their management. Cucurbits belong to a plant group with the most species used as human food in the Cucurbitaceae family. Within this family, the genus Cucurbita stands out as 1 of the most important. Anthracnose, caused by the fungus Colletotrichum lagenarium, can be a destructive disease of cucurbits during warm, wet growing seasons. Alternaria leaf spot or blight of cucurbits or vine crops is caused by the fungus Alternaria cucumerina. Gummy stem blight is an important disease of cucurbits in many parts of the United States. Angular leaf spot of cucurbits is caused by the bacterium Pseudomonas syrinage pv. lachrymans and is the most common bacterial disease of cucurbits in the world. Angular leaf spot affects aerial parts of cucurbits including leaves, petioles, stems, and fruits. Scab of cucurbits or vine crops is caused by the fungus Cladosporium cucumerinum.
