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ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #65699
Title: YELLOW VINE OF CUCURBITS IN CENTRAL TEXAS AND OKLAHOMA

Author
item AVILA, F - UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA
item Bruton, Benny
item Pair, Sammy
item FLETCHER, J - OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY

Submitted to: Phytopathology
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/3/1996
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Vine declines seriously affect cantaloupe and watermelon yields in Texas and Oklahoma production areas. In north central Texas and southern Oklahoma, yellow vine (etiology unknown) is the primary vine decline of cantaloupe and watermelon. The disease was severe in 1991, 1992, and 1995 in some areas of both states. In 1993 and 1994, the disease was less severe in Central Texas and Oklahoma crops were unaffected by yellow vine. All standard varieties of melons appear be equally affected. The triploid watermelon is the only source of resistance identified to date. Never more than about 5% of the triploid melons have been observed to be affected in fields where over of 50% of the diploid pollinator plants show yellow vine. Vine yellowing and phloem discoloration are characteristics of the disease. Transmission electron microscopy suggests that a phloem limited bacterialike organism (BLO) may be associated with yellow vine in cantaloupe and watermelon. Universal prokaryotic 16s ribosomal DNA primers, used to detect the citrus greening BLO, have been developed for use in polymerase chain reaction analysis using DNA from yellow vine affected watermelon in comparison to healthy plant DNA.