Trace of vine blight in watermelon field in Fenglin town Hualien county government calls on melon farmers to do a good job in prevention and control

Trace of vine blight in watermelon field in Fenglin town Hualien county government calls on melon farmers to do a good job in prevention and control

In response to the spread of vine blight in some watermelon fields in Fenglin Town, Hualien County, on the 17th, the Agricultural Department of Hualien County, together with the Animal and Plant epidemic Prevention Office, the Agricultural improvement Farm of the Agricultural Commission of the Executive Yuan, and the Fenglin Town Public Office, went to four watermelon fields where vine blight occurred. Only sporadic plant leaves and stems showed symptoms of vine blight at the scene, which has been well controlled.

Wu Kunru, director of agriculture, said that watermelon vine blight is caused by an ascomycete fungus. The first stage of watermelon planting in Hualien County coincides with the spring rain season. Under the condition of humid climate and sunny feet, vine blight is more likely to occur in areas where the seedlings are too dense. Dark brown, concentric or regular spots can be seen on the slices, while the stem vines show long stripes. The disease can spread by means of seeds, wind and rain, and plant wounds caused by machinery. Farmers need to do a good job in field management, and more field inspections should be carried out as early as possible before the arrival of the rainy season.

The Animal and Plant Disease Prevention and Quarantine Bureau of the Agricultural Committee of the Executive Yuan also stated that watermelon vine blight is an endemic disease in the cultivation of watermelons in Hualien. After investigation by the Hualien Farm and the epidemic Prevention Institute, only a few fields have sporadic symptoms this year. We will continue to guide farmers to strengthen prevention and control and pay attention to the trend of the epidemic. The Bureau of Prevention and Inspection will also send disease bulletins through the Tanabe good helper system to expand the early warning. If farmers use neutralized phosphorous acid and other free materials for prevention and control, they can apply for a subsidy from the local peasant association (5,000 yuan per hectare).

The Agriculture Department called on farmers to remove the diseased plants and reduce the source of pathogen infection if they found the above symptoms during field inspection, and the application of chemicals is the main way to treat vine blight at present. It is suggested that farmers should refer to-recommend pesticides for prevention and control. Organic farmers can apply 1000 times phosphorous acid and other plant protection materials to prevent the disease, if there is a need for technical guidance. You can contact Hualien District Agricultural improvement Farm to provide assistance.