Pumpkin Production

Scientific Name: Cucurbita spp. (Cucurbita maxima, Cucurbita moschataetc.) Credits:Biovision-Infonet Order / Family: Cucurbitales: Cucurbitaceae Local Names: Budho (Luo), Malenge (Kiwahili), Lisiebebe (Luhya), Marenge (Kikuyu), Risoa (Kisii), Ulenge (Kamba) Common Names: Squash, Giant squash, Summer squash, Giant pumpkin, Butternut Pests & Diseases: Anthracnose, Aphids, Black rot, Choanephora fruit rot, Downy mildew, Epilachna beetles, Fruit flies, Fusarium wilt, Powdery mildew, Scab, Virus diseases, Whiteflies Geographical Distribution in Africa General Information and Agronomic Aspects Pumpkin […]

Rust

(Uredo cajani) Credits: Biovision-Infonet Symptoms appear as dark brown raised spots full of brown spores (uredia) on the lower leaf surfaces. Infected leaves dry and drop off. When disease is severe, it causes extensive defoliation. The disease is favoured by rain and wind that facilitate spore release, dispersal and development. What to do: Plant resistant […]

Phytophthora Blight

(Phytophthora dreschsleri f.sp. cajani) Credits: Biovision-Infonet The disease causes sudden death of seedlings. Infected leaves have water-soaked spots that turn brown to black. Infected leaves lose turgidity and finally become desiccated. On stems and leaf petioles the spots are slightly sunken. Affected stems or branches are girdled and foliage above dries up. Plants that are […]

Macrophomina Stem Canker

(Macrophomina phaseolina) Credits:Biovision-Infonet Initial symptoms on stems and branches are spindle-shaped spots with light grey centres surrounded by brown margins. The centres of the spots have scattered dots (pycnidial bodies – fungal spores). The spots may join up and cause the branches or whole plants to dry up and die. Diseased plants suddenly wilt. When […]

Cercospora Leaf Spot

(Mycovellosiella cajani) Credits: Biovision-Infonet Small circular necrotic spots (lesions) usually appear on older leaves. These spots join up causing leaf blight and leaf drop. The African isolates of the fungus produce concentric areas on the leaf spots. The disease causes severe losses when defoliation occurs before flowering and podding. The disease usually appears when plants […]