Cucurbit Genetics Cooperative Report 2:44-45 (article 27) 1979
M. Pitrat and R. D. de Vaulx
Station d’Amélioration des Plantes Maraîcherès, I.N.R.A., Domaine Saint Maurice, 84140 Montfavet-Avignon, France
Cucumis species in collection at the Vegetable Plant Breeding Station of Montfavet-Avignon (France) were evaluated for resistance to natural infestation or artificial inoculation to some important diseases in France: cucumber mosaic virus (CMV), watermelon mosaic virus (WMV-2), powdery mildew, corky-root (Pyrenochaeta spp.) and root-knot nematode.
All the species tested were susceptible to CMV and WMV-2 but with different intensity levels (Table 1). In artificial inoculation, C. zeyheri was the least susceptible, i.e., mild symptoms and recovery. In natural infestation, C. zeyheri, C. prophetarum: and C. ficifolius (PI 196844) were the least susceptible.
All the species except C. anguria and C. myriocarpus were powdery mildew resistant. C. prophetarum and C. zeyheri were resistant to corky-root. C. metuliferus from Fassuliotis was also resistant to nematode (Meloidogyne incognita) in our conditions.
Table 1. Results of six disease screening tests on various Cucumis species.
Artificial inoculation |
Natural infestation |
Transplantation into infested greenhouse |
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Accession |
CMV |
WMV-2 |
CMV + WMV-2 |
Powdery mildew |
Corky root |
Root-knot nematode |
| C. anguria (= PI 196477) | MS | VS | S | S | S | – |
| C. dipsaceus (from Ethiopia) | – | – | S | R | S | – |
| C. heptadactylus (PI 282446) | S | MS | – | – | – | – |
| C. metuliferus (from Fassuliotis) | MS | VS | S | R | S | R |
| (from N.I. Vavilov Institute) | MS | VS | S | R | – | – |
| C. myriocarpus (1096) | – | – | MS | S | S | – |
| C. prophetarum (PI 193967) | S | S | MS | R | R | MS |
| C. zeyheri PI 273192 | MS | MSr | R-MS | R | R | – |
| PI 299570 | MS | MSr | R-MS | R | R | – |
| PI 299572 | MS | MSr | R-MS | R | R | – |
| C. ficifolius PI 196844 | MSr | VS | MS | R | S | – |
| PI 203915 | VS | VS | S | R | S | – |
| PI 293646 | VS | VS | S | R | – | – |
R = resistant, MSr = mild symptoms and recovery, MS = mild symptoms, S = susceptible, VS = very susceptible, – = not tested.