Prevalence of Bacterial Leaf Spot of Bottle Gourd and Pumpkin in Subtropical Zone of Himachal Pradesh

To assess the prevalence and severity of bacterial leaf spot on bottle gourd and pumpkin, a survey was conducted in Hamirpur, Una and Bilaspur districts of sub tropical zone of Himachal Pradesh, India during the years 2018 and 2019. Data were recorded in terms of disease severity and fruit rot incidence. The associated pathogen from bottle gourd and pumpkin was isolated on nutrient sodium chloride agar medium and identified on the basis of morphological, biochemical and pathogenicity tests on bottle gourd and pumpkin seedlings. Disease was found to be prevalent at all the locations surveyed exhibiting a mean disease severity from 24.70 to 87.55 and 5.30 to 52.92 per cent in bottle gourd and pumpkin, respectively. Fruits of bottle gourd were recorded to be affected badly exhibiting a mean fruit rot incidence of 10.23 to 95.32 to per cent, while, no fruit rot incidence was recorded in pumpkin fruits. The colonies of the isolated bacterium were mucoid, circular, smooth textured and yellow in colour having a diameter of 2-4 mm. The pathogen was found to be Gram–ve and tested positive for esculin hydrolysis as well as protein digestion test. During pathogenicity tests, incubation period of 2 and 4 days was recorded on bottle gourd and pumpkin, respectively. Based on these studies, the identity of the pathogen was confirmed to be Xanthomonas cucurbitae(ex Bryan) Vauterin et al.