Disease? Nutrient deficiency? Pest damage?

gorbelly · June 27, 2016

I have a sinking feeling that this might be bad. The plant is a melothria scabra (Mouse Melon/Mexican Sour Gherkin). My concern is that it might be a virus, however it doesn't quite resemble any photos I can find on the web.

It's affecting only a few newer leaves at the tip of one of the vines on one of my plants. There's a weird translucent quality to the lighter parts of the leaf--as though it weren't really a discoloration so much as that those parts are thinner. There doesn't seem to be deformation of leaf shape, though--although I guess I'll know that better when the two smaller leaves that are afflicted grow a bit. There have been some aphids in the garden, although I haven't noticed any on this plant. Aside from slug damage early on, the mouse melons have been basically pest-free so far.

One of my plants next to this one got some kind of wilt a couple weeks back, and I pulled it. But there were no symptoms other than catastrophic wilting--no color changes or anything.

Front of leaf (click for enlargeable photo)

Back of leaf (click for enlargeable photo)

June 27, 2016	#1
gorbelly Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: Southeastern Pennsylvania Posts: 1,069	Disease? Nutrient deficiency? Pest damage? I have a sinking feeling that this might be bad. The plant is a melothria scabra (Mouse Melon/Mexican Sour Gherkin). My concern is that it might be a virus, however it doesn't quite resemble any photos I can find on the web. It's affecting only a few newer leaves at the tip of one of the vines on one of my plants. There's a weird translucent quality to the lighter parts of the leaf--as though it weren't really a discoloration so much as that those parts are thinner. There doesn't seem to be deformation of leaf shape, though--although I guess I'll know that better when the two smaller leaves that are afflicted grow a bit. There have been some aphids in the garden, although I haven't noticed any on this plant. Aside from slug damage early on, the mouse melons have been basically pest-free so far. One of my plants next to this one got some kind of wilt a couple weeks back, and I pulled it. But there were no symptoms other than catastrophic wilting--no color changes or anything. Front of leaf (click for enlargeable photo) Back of leaf (click for enlargeable photo)