The 6 entries in Laisha's encyclopedia that attack Watermelon, grouped by type. Each page covers identification, life cycle, the conditions that favour it, action thresholds and integrated management.

Growing Watermelon? The free Watermelon grow guide covers the crop from sowing to harvest.

Insect pests

• Cotton aphid (melon aphid)Aphis gossypiiInsect · A small aphid, from pale yellow to almost black, that forms dense colonies under the leaves of cotton,…
• Melon flyZeugodacus cucurbitaeInsect · A fruit fly whose maggots rot the young fruit of bitter gourd, cucumber, melon, pumpkin and other cucurbits.…

Fungal diseases

• Powdery mildew of cucurbitsPodosphaera xanthiiFungal disease · The commonest disease of cucumber, melon, squash, pumpkin and other cucurbits worldwide. It covers leaves…

Oomycete diseases (water moulds)

• Downy mildew of cucurbitsPseudoperonospora cubensisOomycete disease · Downy mildew is a fast-moving leaf disease of cucumber, melon, squash, watermelon and gourds. Angular yellow…

Virus diseases

• Papaya ringspot disease (PRSV)Papaya ringspot virusVirus disease · Papaya ringspot is the most destructive disease of papaya worldwide. Aphids spread the virus in seconds as…

Physiological disorders

• Blossom-end rotPhysiological calcium disorder (no pathogen)Physiological disorder · Blossom-end rot is a dark, sunken, leathery patch at the flower end of tomato, pepper, watermelon, squash and…