By Clint Thompson
North Florida watermelon producers have mostly dodged early-season diseases. That could change following recent rainfall and cooler temperatures earlier in the week. Growers must remain alert against disease buildup, says Bob Hochmuth, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Regional Specialized Extension agent in Live Oak, Florida.
“It has been so dry, and we’ve had good air movement and good warm temperatures here in the last couple of weeks that it has just not been the favorable conditions that most of the diseases would need,” Hochmuth said.
“I feel like we’ve been relatively pretty clean here in the last couple of weeks. This weather pattern can change things, but the rain is welcomed. We’ll just have to keep our eyes open for any changes, any movement of diseases into the area.”
Miravis Prime
Most growers have used chlorothalonil (Bravo or other formulations) or mancozeb (Manzate or other formulation). Producers have the option to add in a Miravis Prime application, however, it is intended to be used more as a preventative spray, rather than curative.
“Miravis is a broad-spectrum fungicide that needs to be on and in the plant before the diseases really get started. It’s not intended to be something that’s curative once the diseases are already present. It enhances plant health and helps the plant to ward off some of the diseases that are common,” Hochmuth said.
“Things like gummy stem blight would be one of the main things we would get an advantage from. But it has some activity on other diseases as well.”
Hochmuth added that growers may want to start adding a fungicide application for powdery mildew disease next week, but as of now, there have not been any reports of the disease.