Bacterial Wilt

[shelleybean]

I grew cucumbers and squash in a particular bed this summer and I had A LOT of cucumber beetles. I did my best to get rid of them but I've had at least a few all summer and a real invasion of them for about two weeks at the end of June/beginning of July. I planted another round of cucumbers in the same location at the end of July and I see part of the plants are wilted. I suspect bacterial wilt from the cucumber beetles. I planned to put tomatoes in that bed next summer and of course I don't want bacterial wilt with the tomatoes. It's my understanding that bacterial wilt lives in the soil. So here is my question. Should I try solarization in that bed or is there another way to get rid of this? Thanks for any help you can offer.

[tjg911]

BW is spread by cuke beetles chewing on and injecting it via saliva into the vine. i never heard it said it is in the soil. who told you that?

tom

[shelleybean]

Since my post this morning I've been doing some research. I have a Rodale garden disease book that says there are different kinds of BW and they actually have different bacteria. Yes, the kind that affects cucurbits is spread by cuke beetles, the kind that affects corn is transmitted by flea beetles and the kinds that affects tomatoes, peppers and eggplant lives in the soil and needs no vector. So from what I gather from this book, the kind that is wilting the cucumbers will not bother tomatoes next year. I hope anyway. The cucumber beetles can overwinter in the soil and bring their BW back next year but I think it'll only affect the cucumbers and squash. I did get some traps and lures for cucumber beetles this season but it was too late to really solve anything so I'll put those out from the get go next time.

[RayR]

Spotted cucumber beetles overwinter in the soil in southern states, Striped cucumber beetles overwinter in the soil in the northern states. Beetles that survive the winter and are infected with bacterial wilt (Erwinia tracheiphila) are what transmits the pathogen the next season.
Erwinia tracheiphila only infects cucurbits, so you tomato plants will not be in danger.

Cucumber beetles also lay there eggs in the soil at the base of cucurbits.

[shelleybean]

Thank you, Ray. So I will have to really stay on top of the beetles right off the bat for the sake of the cukes but I am no longer worried about planting tomatoes in that bed. This all eases my mind.

[tjg911]

i thought BW only was a curcurbit disease and specifically cukes. learn something new every day!

tom

[RayR]

Originally Posted by tjg911

i thought BW only was a curcurbit disease and specifically cukes. learn something new every day!

tom

There is a bacterial wilt of Tomato but that's caused by a dffferent pathogen, Ralstonia solanacearum

[bitterwort]

Michelle, consider covering your cucumbers plants with light-weight floating row as soon as you plant until the female flowers start blooming. We had awful problems with bacterial wilt and with this method we get more cucumbers than we can eat.

[shelleybean]

Thanks, all!