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Entry Date	Nick Name		Location
Monday, August 23, 2021		Matt D.	Connecticut

Entry 78 of 90

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Diagnostic Report 8-23-2021 for Giant Pumpkin Plant

The official report is included in the image (and quoted below), but short, only trace pathogens could be detected and it is possible that the control spray eliminated the actual problem.

So, at the time of harvest another sample will be taken and submitted to the lab to see if by this time the issue has had more time to replicate and become detectable.

“Diagnosis/Recommendations
Diagnosis: No pathogen found (Identification Analysis)
Comments: No Pathogen Found

We attempted to isolate the pathogen causing decline using fungal and bacterial culturing. Using this approach, we cultured mostly saprophytic fungi. There was a very small amount of Fusarium sp. cultured from one piece of plated root tissue (one piece out of twelve plated). No other plated root or leaf pieced produced fungal structures of note.

There was a very slight amount of bacterial streaming observed. Bacterial streaking resulted in a low amount of bacterial growth on nutrient agar. Colony shape, size and coloration were inconsistent. Leaf tissue was macerated and tested for presence of Acidovorax citrulli, causal agent of Bacterial fruit blotch, using an Agdia ImmunoStrip. The tissue tested negative for presence of this bacterium.

When tape-mount slides were initially prepared from leaf tissue to observe fungal sporulation, there was a small amount of what was believed to be Verticillium dahliae, though this pathogen was not able to be cultured.

It is possible that the causal fungal pathogen, Verticillium or whatever it may be, was/is being controlled using applied fungicides/bactericides. Applied pesticides may have accelerated the appearance of disease onset - fungi present within plant tissue often causes the tissue it was feeding on to become necrotic when killed. The pesticides applied may also have inhibited the growth of the causal agent in culture, but we have no way to confirm this.”