Abstract
In the present study, a severe outbreak of Sclerotium rot on Korean melon(Cucumis melo L. var. makuwa Makino) observed in Jinju, Korea in August of 2014 and 2015 is reported. The fruit rot disease on the surface of Korean melon fruit appeared as water soaked lesion followed by the development of large rotten areas with abundant white mycelial growth. Abundant white mycelial mats with globoid and white to brown sclerotia(1-3 mm) were also developed on stems near the soil line, and infected plants withered. The fungal pathogen was isolated on potato dextrose agar(PDA) and formed white colonies with numerous sclerotia on PDA. The sclerotia were globoid in shape, 1-3 mm in size, and white to brown in color. The mycelium formed typical clamp connection. These measurements and taxonomic characteristics were most similar to those of Sclerotium. DNA sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of the complete internal transcribed spacer rRNA gene region confirmed that the fungal isolates were Sclerotium rolfsii Saccardo. Koch’s postulates were supported by pathogenicity tests conducted on fruit. Based on mycological characteristics, pathogenicity tests, and molecular identification, the fungus was identified as Sclerotium rolfsii. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of a Sclerotium rot caused by S. rolfsii on Korean melon in Korea.
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