The causal agent of gummy stem blight, Didymella bryoniae, is an important pathogen for Cucurbitaceae species and has been the main source of biotic and infectious damages to muskmelon under protected cultivation. Some recent studies have evidenced the occurrence of latent infections by D. bryoniae in melons, but without confirmation. Thus, the present study aimed to the occurrence of latent infection by Didymella bryoniae in asymptomatic plants of the muskmelon hybrids Sunrise, Bonus II and Prince Hakucho through polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using the set of primers D7S, D6 and UNLO28822, which amplify DNA regions capable of distinguishing D. bryoniae from other similar species and common microorganisms. In all tested hybrids, the presence of D. bryoniae was confirmed in the stems of asymptomatic plants through amplification of specific regions delimited by the employed primers.
Gummy stem blight; Cucumis melo
