Response of Melon Cultivars to Natural Infection by Diseases in

Melon is an important crop in South western, Nigeria. The study evaluated incidence and severity of Anthracnose, mildews, wilt, leaf spot and blight disease of melon cultivars: Serewe, Bara A, Bara B in cultivated plots in South Western Nigeria. Experiment was set in a randomized complete block design with five replicates in the Teaching and Research field of the University of Ibadan, Nigeria. Disease incidence and severity was varied among the melon cultivars. Predominant foliar diseases were Anthracnose and leaf blight with maximum disease incidence index of 82.0–100 % across the cultivars. Disease incidence and severity indices for all diseases were high during the early season (27.0-100%) and low during the dry season (19.0-65.0%) except for the downy mildew disease. Fusarium wilt disease incidence was significantly lower than all other diseases encountered. Cultivars were not consistent in their reaction to the diseases and these also varied with the years. The study has given information on the predominant diseases for which control management technology should be developed