ARS | Publication request: Effect of reflective mulch and insecticidal treatments on development of watermelon vine decline caused by squash vein yellowing virus

Submitted to: Cucurbitaceae Proceedings
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: October 5, 2010
Publication Date: November 14, 2010
Citation: Kousik, C.S., Adkins, S.T., Webster, C.G., Turechek, W., Roberts, P.D. Effect of reflective mulch and insecticidal treatments on development of watermelon vine decline caused by squash vein yellowing virus. Cucurbitaceae 2010 Proceedings. J.A. Thies, C.S. Kousik and A. Levi (eds.) pp. 237-239. 2010. (Proceedings)

Technical Abstract: Vine decline (WVD) caused by the whitefly transmitted Squash vein yellowing virus (SqVYV) has been a major limiting factor in watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) production in southwest and west-central Florida for the past several years. Symptoms of WVD typically manifest as sudden decline of vines one to two weeks prior to harvest and can also affect fruit quality and marketability. The combination of reflective plastic mulch and chemical treatment for management of whitefly on WVD development was evaluated during fall of 2006, 2007 and 2009. The chemical treatment consisted of an Admire Pro (Imidacloprid) drench at transplanting followed by two sprays of Oberon 2SC (Spiromesifen). Virus inoculum was introduced by planting SqVYV-infected squash plants in each plot. No significant interaction between plastic mulch and chemical treatment was observed on WVD development. In all three years the chemically treated plots had significantly less fruits with WVD symptoms compared to untreated plots. In 2007, the areas under disease progress curve for WVD was significantly lower for the plots chemically treated for managing whitefly and the reflective plastic mulch plots compared to the untreated and non-reflective mulch plots, respectively. Our results suggest that management of whitefly can help in managing WVD.