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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Frederick, Maryland » Foreign Disease-Weed Science Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #228516
Title: Evaluation of several seed treatments for eradication of Acidovorax avenae subsp. citrulli from watermelon seed

Author
item FENG, JIANJUN - CHINA AGRICULTURE UNIV.
item LI, JIANQIANG - CHINA AGRICULTURE UNIV.
item RANDHAWA, PARM - CALIF. SEED & PLANT LAB
item Bonde, Morris
item Schaad, Norman

Submitted to: Canadian Journal of Plant Pathology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/27/2009
Publication Date: 7/1/2009
Citation: Feng, J., Li, J., Randhawa, P., Bonde, M.R., Schaad, N.W. 2009. Evaluation of several seed treatments for eradication of Acidovorax avenae subsp. citrulli from watermelon seed. Canadian Journal of Plant Pathology. 31:In Press

Interpretive Summary: Bacterial fruit blotch, caused by Acidovorax avenae subsp. citrulli, is a serious seedborne disease of watermelon and melon. To control the disease, nine seed treatments were evaluated for eradication of the pathogen from triploid watermelon seeds. The results showed Chlorox at 50 C for 20 minutes, Tsunami 100 for 30 minutes, and acidified cupric acetate at 50 C for 20 minutes, eradicated the pathogen, but significantly decreased seed germination and/or seedling establishment (emergence). Several other treatments either failed to eradicate the pathogen or caused reduction in seed germination. Only the acidic electrolyed water treatment eradicated the bacterium from seed without decreasing seed germination or seedling establishment.

Technical Abstract: Acidovorax avenae subsp. citrulli (Aac), the causal agent of bacterial fruit blotch of watermelon (Citrullus lanatus), is a serious seedborne pathogen. To determine the effectiveness of several seed treatments for eradication of Aac from seed, healthy triploid watermelon seedlots were spiked with naturally infected watermelon or melon seeds harvested from three separate diseased fruit. Nine treatments were tested: 1) non-treated control, 2) water at room temperature, 3) 0.1 % cupric sulfate, 4) acidified 0.1 % cupric sulfate at 50 C for 20 min, 5) acidified cupric acetate (ACA) at 50 C for 20 min, 6) acidified zinc chloride at 50 C for 20 min, 7) Chlorox at 50 C for 20 min, 8) acidic electrolyzed water (AEW) for 30 min, and 9) Tsunami 100 for 30 min. The results showed Chlorox at 50 C for 20 min, Tsunami 100 for 30 min, and ACA at 50 C for 20 min, eradicated the pathogen and significantly (P=0.05) decreased seed germination and/or seedling establishment (emergence). Several other treatments either failed to eradicate the pathogen or caused reduced seed germination. Only the AEW treatment eradicated A. avenae subsp. citrulli from seed without decreasing seed germination or seedling establishment.