Screening of melon (Cucumis melo L) germplasm for multiple disease resistance

Melon germplasm was screened for cucumber green mottle mosaic virus (CGMMV), powdery mildew (Sphaerotheca fuliginea), downy mildew (Pseudoperonospora cubensis) and Fusarium wilt (Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. melonis) resistance under artificial conditions except downy mildew for which screening was done under natural epiphytotic conditions. High level resistance to all the four diseases was not recorded in any of the collections tested. Nevertheless, resistance to three diseases was located in three germplasm. Wild Cucumis species C. figarei exhibited absolute resistance to CGMMV and Fusarium wilt and high level resistance to downy mildew. Phoot or snapmelon (Cucumis melo var. momordica) - a non-dessert form of Indian origin - was highly resistant to downy mildew and resistant to CGMMV and medium resistant to Fusarium wilt. Iroquois was resistant to powdery mildew and medium resistant to downy mildew and CGMMV.