Bacterial blotch caused by Acidovorax avenae subsp. citrulli is the most important bacterial disease of melon (Cucumis melo) in Northeastern Brazil. In an attempt to find alternatives for controlling this disease, several dosages of kasugamycin (100, 200, 300, 500 and 700 ppm), copper oxichloride (500 ppm) and a mixture of the two products (200 + 500 ppm) were evaluated for pathogen inhibition in vitro. Two field experiments were performed in Rio Grande do Norte (RN) and Ceará (CE) where disease incidence was initially determined. The treatments: 1 to 4 - kasugamycin 40, 50, 60 and 70 ppm; 5 - kasugamycin + copper oxichloride 40 + 1250 ppm; 6 - copper oxichloride 1250 ppm; 7 - oxitetracyclin salt 82 ppm and 8 - control were applied four times and evaluation was carried out 67 days after planting by recording disease incidence on fruits. In vitro 300, 500 and 700 ppm of kasugamycin significantly inhibited pathogen growth, differing from the other treatments but not among them (Friedman non parametric test, P=0.01). In field experiments in RN and CE, disease incidence was recorded initially at 67.8 and 46.3%, respectively. Sixty-seven days after planting, treatments 4 and 6 in RN, as well as 5 and 7 in CE, significantly reduced disease incidence on fruits (two-tailed z test, P=0.05).
Acidovorax avenae subsp. citrulli; chemical control; Cucumis melo, antibiotics
