DIFFERENTIAL OCCURRENCE OF BACTERIAL WILT IN MUSKMELON DUE TO PREFERENTIAL STRIPED CUCUMBER BEETLE FEEDING

Ten muskmelon (Cucumis melo L.) cultivars were tested for their susceptibility to bacterial wilt, caused by Erwinia tracheiphila (Smith) Bergey, Harrison, Breed, Hammer and Huntoon and vectored by the striped cucumber beetle Acalymma vittatum (F). 'SuperStar','Rising Star', 'Pulsar', 'Caravelle', 'Cordele','Legend', 'Makdimon','Galia', 'Rocky Sweet', and 'Passport' were used in field studies to determine the number of striped cucumber beetles, feeding damage, and incidence of bacterial wilt. 'Makdimon' and 'Rocky Sweet' hosted significantly more beetles than the other cultivars. These two cultivars and 'Legend' and 'Cordele' had much more feeding damage and a significantly higher incidence of bacterial wilt than the others. A greenhouse experiment was conducted with seven of the cultivars to test their susceptibility to bacterial,wilt when directly inoculated with the causal agent. All cultivars were equally susceptible to the disease when it was introduced directly into the plant. Selective feeding by striped cucumber beetles was probably most responsible for 'Makdimon','Rocky Sweet' 'Legend', and 'Cordele' having greater incidences of bacterial wilt than the other cultivars.