Gummy stem blight on cantaloupe melon (Cucumis melo), caused by Didymella bryoniae, has been a very destructive disease in Northern Paraná State, Brazil, where it can cause yield losses of up to 100%. This pathogen is believed to be spread inside plastic greenhouses mainly through the cutting tools used for removal of shoots from plants. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of sanitation on the disease progress by washing scissors used for cutting shoots in 2% NaClO. Experiments were set up in commercial plastic greenhouses for a period of two years using two cantaloupe melon hybrids, 'Bônus II' and 'Sunrise'. Disease intensity was assessed through incidence, expressed by the percent of plants showing necrosis on stems and the percent of dead plants, fruit brix and yield. The results showed that i t is possible to reduce the spread of rot gumosis inside the plastic greenhouse by washing the cutting tools in 2% NaClO. In 'Bônus II', sanitation was observed to reduce the percentage of plants showing necrosis from 62.5-100% to 12.5-27.5%, and the percentage of dead plants from 30.0-100% to 2.5-7.5%. In "Sunrise", sanitation reduced the percentage of plants showing necrosis from 42.5-100% to 2.5-10%, and the percentage of dead plants from 10-87.5% to 2.5-10%. Sanitation increased 'Bônus II' yield from zero-19.88 ton.ha-1 to 26.78-27.61 ton.ha-1 and 'Sunrise' yield from 4.5-21.34 ton.ha-1 to 26.86-28.34 ton.ha-1. Also, sanitation increased fruit brix in both cantaloupe melon hybrids.
