According to the University of Georgia Extension vegetable blog, downy mildew disease has been detected on watermelon in Ben Hill County, Georgia.
Downy mildew is among the top diseases of cucurbit crops, like cucumbers, watermelon, squashes and pumpkins. It can destroy plant foliage and cause the leaves to curl and die. This leaves the plant vulnerable to blisters and sunscald during hot summer days because the leaves and vines are not healthy.
The pathogen thrives in wet, humid conditions and needs moisture on the plant surface for successful spore germination and further infection.
For up-to-date information about potential diseases impacting Georgia’s vegetable production, see https://site.caes.uga.edu/vegpath.