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Springfield, MO

Here's my dilemma. 898 Knauss plant with gummy stem blight disease affecting leaves, too early to tell if I will be able to control the disease. In same bed as 611 Wilbers 2004 (801.5 Stelts x SELF) which looks healthy as a horse. One of them needs to be culled within 48 hours due to plant size beginning to overlap each other's "territory." (Similar dilemma in my 723 Bobier bed, but I have more time there...)

Which one to cull??

If you say keep the 898 Knauss, which I desparately want to do if it can be made healthy enough to grow a good fruit...what do you think the best treatment for gummy stem blight at this point in the disease cycle?

All experienced advice welcomed!!

Thanks,
Chris

P.S. Sorry no pictures to post right now. If you're not familiar with leaf symptoms of GSB, try a Google image search...

6/8/2005 8:57:00 AM

Commack, NY

Everyone is going to have a different opinion on this, but i would always take "healthy" over "hurting" regardless of genetics. Of course i have no idea if gummy stem blight can be cured, or if it can just be controlled. but if in fact it has it, its very early, and i think on some level your growth will suffer. just my 2 cents

6/8/2005 9:11:49 AM

Ohio

Chris, If it where me,Id go with my gut feeling,thats a hard choice.Glad I dont have to make it. But if I was to cull the 898,I would dig it up instead(just to see what happens) and try to replant it in another spot the best I could to see what happens.

Good luck,
Brooks

6/8/2005 9:13:49 AM

Hilpoltstein, Bavaria, Germany

Chris,

The 611 Wilbers was one of the most beautiful pumpkins I've ever seen and it was grown off my favourite seed, the 801.5.
If I were you I'd for sure cull out the 898. Why would you want to keep an ill plant that will probably die in a matter of a few days and cull a perfectly healthy plant?
I haven't had to deal with GSB before but have heard that it is hard to save the plant once it is affected.
It is sure a hard decision to cull a plant like the 898 but if it is ill I think you have no other choice...
If you cull the 611 today, the 898 might fall over tomorrow and you have no plant left.

6/8/2005 9:18:32 AM

[email protected]

Chris
Easy choice from here, and I would do it. Your 898 is disease prone, and I would think the problem will carry on through to it's seeds. We strive for weight. To achieve this we need healthy plants.
Grow and prove your 611, hopefully it will surprise you.
I've culled a 1260 because it was doubling on me. Also a 723 because the root was a ball and not a tap.
Eddy

6/8/2005 10:29:05 AM

Utah

are you sure that it is gummy stem blight ?

6/8/2005 10:49:30 AM

No Place Special

Keep the 611

6/8/2005 10:51:33 AM

Indiana

I would treat 898 with lots of systemic fungicides. I would suspect the disease problems to go away. I really wouldnt suspect gummy stem at this point in the game. You may want to check to make sure thats what you have. We battle GSB late in the season on the pumpkins all the time.

Tom

6/8/2005 11:52:05 AM

Ontario, Canada.

I choose proven over promissing this year in one patch earlier last week.

My own 695 Landry 04 pumpkin was more than twice the size of the 1016 Daletas I kept.

6/8/2005 7:34:57 PM

Springfield, MO

Hey, Friends -- Thanks for the input!

Eddy you must have nerves of steel to dig up a 723 & a 1260...ouch! I hate making these kind of choices with "choice" and costly seed. Would be easier if a woodchuck took care of the 898 for me and saved me the trouble :-)

g1t-gordon...Yes, but it is what we call in medicine a "clinical diagnosis" rather than a "pathologic diagnosis"...based on the appearance of the disease and my experience, rather than on a lab analysis. Would love to get it confirmed by a lab, but our extension service wants entire plant to make diagnoses and they take weeks. Not practical when what I want to do is SAVE the plant! Anyone used a plant pathology lab with a good reputation and fast turn around time?????

Tom B -- I usually have seen it later in season as well, but it has been hot here. Thought it might be angular leaf blight, which I've had before too, but the marginal necrosis really matches the picture of GSB on leaves, and having fought it before later in the season, I know it must be in the patch. I've got a number of systemics on hand...most of what I read just pushes the "topical" Daconil (or equivalent) and suggests Quadris (Heritage) only if it is "resistant." Having said that, I've never seen GSB disappear using Daconil, and I don't have any Quadris or Heritage. What systemics have given you success in treating your GSB?????

Martin, Mike, Farmer Scott -- I do like my 611 a lot too -- no doubt it would throw pretty fruit. I really wanted to try for the thick walls of the 898 and try to get a self cross, and cross with the 723 and vice versa.

Brooks -- wish I had a place to put a transplant...I have no other land on which it would stand a chance, however.

THANKS and open to any more input...

-- Chris

6/8/2005 7:52:04 PM

[email protected]

Chris,

Gather up your courage & make us proud. Grow your own.

Steve

6/8/2005 8:51:41 PM

Ohio

Keep em both one more week Chris,Remember the pic Tom Beachy put up of the 705. One more week if possable.lol

6/9/2005 5:40:46 AM

Utah

Chris,
Tom put up the post that I should have put up ...
I think Tom & Brooks has a good suggestion ... put on the systemics wait a while if you can ... see if the 898 improves ... if not ... go with the 611.
best wishes

gordon

6/9/2005 10:05:34 AM

Springfield, MO

I ordered some Heritage today...we'll see if I can get it on the plant in time, and I'll try to redirect the mains enough to try to keep em both for a few more days. I have to say that the 898 is vining out and throwing some good secondaries despite the leaves that are sick...I'll update the thread in a few days with what happens.

Thanks again to all -- good growing!

-- Chris

6/9/2005 11:31:17 PM