Symptoms

• The diagnostic features of anthracnose vary with the host.
• Sunken, elongated stem cankers are most prominent on muskmelon, though leaf and fruit lesions also occur.
• Large lesions girdle the stems and cause the vines to wilt. Stem cankers are less obvious on cucumbers, but leaf lesions are very distinct.
• Watermelon foliage affected by anthracnose appears scorched; sunken fruit lesions are easy to recognize.

• The anthracnose fungus overwinters on diseased crop residue. There also reported that the pathogen is carried in or on cucurbit seed.
• In wet conditions each spring, the fungus releases airborne spores that begin new infections on vines and foliage.
• Anthracnose usually becomes established in mid-season, after the crop canopy has fully developed.

Management

• Seed treatment with Carbendazim 2g/kg of seed.
• Spray Mancozeb 2g or Carbendazim 0.5g/lit.