Occurrence and pathogenicity of Leandria momordicae on cucurbits in Ilhéus, Bahia

Cucurbitaceae are extensively cultivated in Brazil, representing significant economic, nutritional, and social importance. However, the limited information on diseases affecting these crops leads to numerous phytosanitary problems, reducing productivity. Leandria momordicae is a fungal pathogen capable of infecting various species within the Cucurbitaceae family. Due to the scarce research on L. momordicae, understanding how susceptible plants are to this pathogen in the State of Bahia is vital for developing future disease management strategies. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the pathogenicity of L. momordicae on different cucurbit species, to identify which are susceptible and/or serve as new hosts, considering the limited research available on this fungus in Bahia. The isolates used herein were obtained from leaves of Momordica charantia collected at the campus of the State University of Santa Cruz, Ilhéus, Bahia, which exhibited symptoms of net spot. Inoculations were conducted on six Cucurbitaceae species using conidial suspensions to assess the pathogenicity of the isolate. Seedlings of common pumpkin (Cucurbita moschata), chayote (Sechium edule), melon (Cucumis melo), cucumber (C. sativus), and bitter melon (M. charantia) exhibited characteristic symptoms post-inoculation, whereas watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) seedlings showed no susceptibility to the pathogen. These findings represent the first report of L. momordicae in the southern region of Bahia.