Philippine E-Journals

Distribution, Infection And Symptomatology Of Virus-Like Diseases Of Cucurbits In The Visayas

Manuel K. Palomar | Ruben M. Gapasin | Honey SI Vega-Colis

 

Abstract:

Surveys in different localities of Bohol, Cebu, Leyte and Samar revealed that 13 virus-like diseases infect cucurbits, namely: ampalaya and patola abnormality (APA), ampalaya leaf curl (ALC), ampalaya little leaf (ALL), ampalaya mosaic (AM), chayote little leaf (CLL), cucumber mosaic (CM), patola little leaf (PLL), squash mosaic (SM), squash leaf curl (SLC), squash yellow mosaic (SYM), upo mosaic (UM), watermelon mosaic (WM), and watermelon leaf curl (WLC). The infection of these diseases ranged from <1-100%, with no discrete pattern of infection observed. Of these 13 virus-like diseases, ALL, SM, and UM were commonly observed and showed a significantly higher percentage infection in the four provinces; however, CM showed the highest average infection of 80% in Bohol. Likewise, Leyte was observed to have the most varied kinds of virus-like diseases in cucurbits as compared to Bohol, Cebu, and Samar, in descending order. Symptoms of the disease varied from yellow and green mosaic, yellowing, chlorotic flecks, vein clearing, mottling to malformation of leaves.