Feature Story October 1 through October 31, 2000

Scary Diseases Haunt Pumpkins
and Other Cucurbits

Compiled by APS staff.    

October is a great time to learn about diseases of pumpkins and other cucurbits. There are over 200 known cucurbit diseases of diverse etiologies, and this month's APSnet feature brings you a few that affect this season's most emblematic crops. After browsing through this collection of articles, you'll be prepared to impress your colleagues and family, and to keep your eye out for symptoms while shopping for your Halloween pumpkins.

Click on each disease for a description:

Information on these diseases and many more can be found in the Compendium of Cucurbit Diseases, edited by T. A. Zitter, D. L. Hopkins, and C. E. Thomas.

For more on cucurbit diseases, you can also visit Tom Zitter's Vegetable MD Online. Although new and under construction, this site already provides great information on pumpkins and other cucurbits.  Clicking on Disease by Crops will take you to seed packets and by selecting a cucurbit, you will find the cucurbit diseases that have been entered to date.  By clicking on the Photo Album, you can view more slides that illustrate the diseases of pumpkin and other cucurbits.