Family Cucurbitaceae

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Family Cucurbitaceae

• November 2 3

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Problems in the Gardens
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Silver Leaf Disorder

• Genetic disorder caused by whitefly feeding
• Causes irreversible separation of leaf layers
  silvering affect on upper side of leaves
• Can cause reduced yield and lighter colored fruit
• Control insecticide

http//www.imok.ufl.edu/LIV/groups/cultural/physio
/vcfs1.htm
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Munching insects

• Caused by caterpillars
• Insect order Lepidoptera
• Control Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt)

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A mystery.

• Yellow summer squash cv. Gentry

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(No Transcript)
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Bean Common Mosaic Virus

• Symptoms leaf cupping, blistering, green
  banding, leaf malformation
• Can be seedborne or transmitted by aphids
• Control resistant cultivars, and virus-free seed
• Insecticide to minimize spread

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Tomato Vascular Wilt
http//www.hort.uconn.edu/ipm/veg/htms/wilttom.htm

• 2 types (both fungi)
• Verticillium
• Fusarium
• Wilting of plant, yellowed then brown then dead
• Control fungicide

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Im Hungry

• Magnesium deficiency
• Left untreated
• Interveinal chlorosis
• Puckered, raised surface
• Chlorotic necrotic tissue
• Can resmble K def.
• Treatment
• Dolomite

http//4e.plantphys.net
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Fungal or Bacterial

• Difficult to distinguish
• Will take cutting in water today to look for
  bacterial ooze
• Control fungicide or batericide

http//vegdis.cas.psu.edu/VegDisases/Identificatio
n_files/cucurbits.html
http//vegetablemdonline.ppath.cornell.edu/diagnos
tickeys/CucurLeaf/CucLeafKey.htmlUlocladium
http//www.omafra.gov.on.ca/IPM/english/cucurbits/
index.html
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Control Measure

• Vegetables, fruits, nuts, spices.
• 3 in 1 insecticide, fungicide and miticide.
• Kills aphids, whiteflies, spider mites, scale and
  others
• Controls powdery mildew, rust, anthracnose, leaf
  spot and others
• Completely organic, made from true Neem oil -
  extract of the Neem seed.

http//www.nysaes.cornell.edu/pp/resourceguide/mfs
/08neem.php
http//www.greenlightco.com/products/_LiquidInsect
icides2.htm
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Intercropping example

• Pole beans and corn

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Cucurbit Family
waynesword.palomar.edu

• Gourd, cucumber, melon,
• or pumpkin family
• Origins in Mexico and South America
• Pantropical and subtropical
• Seeds found date back to 8,000 years ago
• Economic importance, ornamentals, invasive weeds
• Major domesticated species (food plants)
• Watermelon, cucumber, melon, squash, pumpkin,
  chayote, luffa, gourds

waynesword.palomar.edu
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Cucurbit Family

• 100 genera with 700spp.
• Common characteristics
• Vines, annuals, long (hollow) petioles, tendrils
• Large and fleshy fruits, usually with a hard
  outer layer
• Large, flat seeds - embryo has 2 large cotyledons

www.microscopy-uk.org
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Cucurbit Family

• ? and ? flowers on a single plant (monoecious)
• Requires pollinators (bees)
• Grow best in warm weather. Sensitive to frost and
  cold injury.

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www.microscopy-uk.org
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CucumberCucumis sativus

• Native to India
• Immature fruits
• Fresh (slicing)
• Pickling
• Quick growing
• Grown in
• Field
• Garden
• Greenhouse

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MelonsCucumis melo

• Muskmelons
• Cantaloupe
• Galia
• Honeydew
• 2 groups
• Recticulatus
• Netting
• orange
• Inodorous
• Smooth
• Green

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WatermelonCitrullus lanatus

• Origin Africa
• Warm, long seasons
• Tolerate humidity
• Coarse soils that
• warm quickly
• Seedless types
• Triploid (3n)

UF Vegetable Production Handbook
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SquashCucurbita pepo, C. maxima, C. mixta, C.
moschata
www.vegetableseed.net

• Summer Squash (harvest immature)
• Yellow
• Crookneck
• Straightneck
• Zucchini
• Winter Squash (harvest mature)
• Butternut
• Acorn

www.johnnyseed.com
tippinthescales.files.wordpress.com
glennys.blogs.com
www.foodnetwork.com
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Pumpkin Cucurbita pepo, C. maxima, C. mixta, C.
moschata

• Pumpkin
• Small (4-6lb)
• Intermediate (8-15lb), Large (15-25lb)
• Giant (50-100lb) Worlds largest fruit
• Decorative

http//jimmunafo.files.wordpress.com
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Presentation References

• Olson, S.M. Simonne, E.H. Stall, W.M. Roberts,
  P.D. Webb, S.E. Taylor, T.G. and S.A.Smith.
  2007. Cucurbit Production in Florida. p. 191-237.
  In Olson, S.M. and E. Simonne (eds.) Vegetable
  production handbook for Florida. University of
  Florida, IFAS Extension.
• Shoemaker, W.H. Swaider, J.M. and G.W. Ware.
  2002. Melons Muskmelons, Cantaloupes,
  Watermelons, and Honeydews, p. 379-400. In
  Producing Vegetable Crops. 5th ed. Interstate
  Publishers, Inc., Danville, IL.
• Swaider, J.M. and G.W. Ware. 2002a. Cucumbers, p.
  339-356. In Producing Vegetable Crops. 5th ed.
  Interstate Publishers, Inc., Danville, IL.
• Swaider, J.M. and G.W. Ware. 2002b. Other
  Vegetables Eggplants, Pumpkins ans Squashes,
  Okra, Salsify, Celeriac, Florence Fennel, Orach,
  Parsley, p. 565-582. In Producing Vegetable
  Crops. 5th ed. Interstate Publishers, Inc.,
  Danville, IL.

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Todays Field Questions for Garden Notebook

• Of the plant families we have discussed up to
  this point (Solanaceae, Fabaceae, Brassicas,
  Cucurbitaceae), which is thought to be the
  oldest?
• Why arent cucurbit crops wind pollinated?
• We talked about triploid (seedless) watermelon,
  what is another crop that is triploid?