Cause The fungus, Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cucurbitacearum, which lives in soil.
Symptoms Plants may wilt slowly as foliage yellows or may wilt suddenly without yellowing. Wilting is most severe during water stress. In cross-section, the lower stem shows darkened vascular tissue. May be confused with symptoms of Verticillium wilt.
Cultural control
- Avoid fields with a history of wilt.
Chemical control
- Metam sodium has reduced this disease in watermelon in the Hermiston, OR area. Restricted-use pesticide.
Biological control
- Actinovate AG at 3 to 12 oz/A as a soil drench at planting. 1-hr reentry. O
- Actinovate Lawn & Garden at 0.5 to 1 teaspoon/gal water. H O
- Double Nickel LC at 0.5 to 4.5 pints/A as a soil drench at planting. 4-hr reentry. O
- Prestop as a soil drench or incorporation into growing medium. 4-hr reentry. O
- Rootshield Home and Garden at 1 to 3 Tbsp/gal water as a soil drench at planting. H O
- Rootshield WP at 3 to 5 oz/100 gal water for greenhouse soil drench and field chemigation or at 16 to 32 oz/A as an in-furrow spray. 0-hr reentry. O
- Stargus at 3 to 4 quarts/A as a soil drench on 10- to 21-day intervals. Preharvest interval is 0 days. 4-hr reentry. O