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Entry Date
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Nick Name
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Location
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Tuesday, August 07, 2018
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Matt D.
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Connecticut
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Entry 58 of 62 |
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Sample #2 Under the Microscope
It is important to not use one sample as a 100% positive ID so a second sample was taken and observed. Here again you see a lot of bacteria but in the red box there is a border region between two portions of the leaf. This has created a dead-end area that is essential trapping the bacteria and causing them to be more concentrated in this region. The arrow shows the area where the bacterial are likely streaming from.
With the microscopic evidence this has been diagnosed as bacterial wilt (Erwinia tracheiphila). Now, fungicides are ineffective (because it is not a fungus) so copper based products are the preferred options for control. However, we are in a heat wave (above 90F for at least 3 consecutive days) so making an application is going to be difficult. There is another contact bactericide that I can use, but it just down poured in my patch so I could not make an application tonight, nor could I remove the plant this evening upon my return from the lab. (So, I decided to update my diary on the same day!)
Luckily, I also enjoy plant pathology so each year of pumpkin growing is exciting. Sometimes it is exciting because of the pumpkins and other years because of disease. As I have said in the past, enjoy each day of growing because there are no guarantees about tomorrow.
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