| Corky dry rot, caused by Fusarium semitectum, is the main postharvest disease of melons in Brazil. This study investigated the effects of wounding, humidity, temperature, and inoculum concentration on the severity of corky dry rot under controlled conditions. Cantaloupe and honeydew melon types were inoculated by spraying conidial suspensions of three F. semitectum isolates. In all experiments, the tested F. semitectum isolates did not differ in relation to disease severity, but, the cantaloupe melon showed higher levels of severity. No lesions appeared on fruits that lacked wounds, and increasing wound age reduced lesion severity. Melons that were inoculated with F. semitectum developed symptoms regardless of the presence or absence of a moist chamber at... |
