Scientists Find New Watermelon Viruses in Florida; Help Available
Florida watermelon growers, the most productive in the nation, face two new viruses. But finding a disease is the first step to managing it, says a University of Florida scientist who helped pinpoint the diseases.
From 2017-2020, Florida was the No. 1 state in watermelon production, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture – National Agricultural Statistics Service. In fact, in 2020, Florida produced more than 850 million pounds of watermelon.
That high yield makes it crucial for growers to stay abreast of new diseases. That way, they can better protect their crop. UF/IFAS plant pathology professor Pamela Roberts helped find the new viruses afflicting this member of the gourd family, or a cucurbit.
Now that they’re aware of the viruses, growers can find ways to deal with the diseases.
“Now that it is known that there are additional (watermelon) viruses in the mix, efforts can be made to determine their impacts and how to manage them,” Roberts said. “The viruses very likely occur in mixed infections, with the other viruses already present in Florida and other watermelon-producing states.”
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