gourd prooduction

8/14/2019 Gourd Prooduction

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ID-119

Ornamental Gourd

Production in KentuckyAmanda Ferguson Sears, Joe Masabni, Kenny Seebold, Ric Bessin, Tim Woods, and Terry Jones

Types o GourdsTere are several dierent types o

ruit that can be called gourds. Teseinclude theLagenaria, Cucurbita pepo,and Lua.

TeLagenaria species are large withthick walls and are used as utilitariangourds when dried. Te ruits come ina wide variety o sizes and shapes. Teshapes vary greatly among dierent

varieties, but a ew examples includebasket, bottle, dipper, and snake.

Cucurbita pepo are the colorul, orna-mental gourds commonly used in alldecorations. Tey are closely related topumpkins and squash, and may cross-pollinate with them i grown withinclose proximity. Some types oCucur-

bita pepo can be dried or decorativepurposes, although they have a muchthinner shell. Tey are reerred to asthe oviera variety. Te ruit is only 1to 6 inches in diameter and can haveseveral dierent shapes, including nestegg, orange, spoon, holy crown, apples,bell, and big bell, among others. Incatalogs, gourds o this type may bereerred to as winter squash.

Lua varieties o gourds are reerredto as vegetable sponges, spongegourds, or dishrag gourds because o

their sot interior that can be used likesponges. Some varieties can be eatenas a summer squash when small andimmature. As drying takes place, theinterior becomes a stringy, sot massthat can be removed.

Planting and CultureGourds are a warm-season crop and

do not do well when temperatures all be-low 60F. Sunny weather is important orproper maturation o ruits. Gourds can

be planted throughout the United States,but preer an area where the midsummertemperature ranges rom 70 to 85F, withnight temperatures just a ew degreescooler.

A growing season o 130 days is re-quired or ruit maturity. Gourds shouldbe planted in the late spring a ter threato rost has passed and when the soil hasbegun to warm up.

Field Selection

Crop rotation is important when

growing any vegetable crop. Select a eldthat has not had gourds, other cucurbits,peppers, tomatoes, or tobacco grown init or at least three years because thesecrops could have similar diseases thatcould still be harbored in the soil. Tegrower should also be aware that someherbicides, such as Atrazine and Sima-zine, can carry over rom previous crops,which would have a negative impact onthe growth o your plant.

Te chosen site should have good airmovement and water drainage to reduce

disease potential. Sandy loam or clayloam soils high in organic matter are thebest or growing gourds.

Gourds have been a prizedpossession o mankindthroughout history, mostly

because o their hardened, dried

shells, which are ideal or use as

vessels and utensils. Tey have

been grown in every temperate

and tropical region in the world.

Gourds are among the oldest

cultivated plants. Tey are in a

amily o plants known as Cucur-

bitaceae, which is the same am-

ily as pumpkins, cucumbers, andmelons. Because o this, they have

a similar growth habit to their

cousins. Tey have sprawling vines

with large leaves and tendrils, and

can readily climb. Tey are monoe-

cious, which means that they have

separate emale and male owers

on each plant. Flowers are white

or yellow. Tese plants are insect

pollinated.


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Soil Preparation

Prepare a good seed bed by plowingdeeply. Avoid plowing when soil is toowet, which may result in a very cloddycondition and soil compaction. Weedcontrol is more difcult in cloddy soil.

Fertilization

Ideal pH or gourds is 6.5 to 7.0. I pHis too low, lime should be applied becausemanganese toxicity can occur at low pHlevels. When growing any vegetables, asoil test rom your county CooperativeExtension ofce is recommended. Tistest will determine levels o phosphorus,potassium, calcium, magnesium, andnitrogen in your soil. o ensure propergrowth o the gourds, 1,500 lb o calciumper acre and 180 lb o magnesium per

acre should be present in your soil.Cucurbits benet rom having 10 to

1 tons o well-rotted manure or a covero green manure plowed under. However,overertilizing with nitrogen can leadto an increase in vine growth that canretard ruit size.

Planting Time

Plant seed outdoors once the seedbedshave properly warmed up and a ter thethreat o rost has passed. When to plant

your gourd seed depends greatly on howlong the plant needs to reach maturity.

For instance, 90- to 95-day maturinggourds need to be planted in early tomid-June, while 100- to 115-day gourdsneed to be planted between late Mayand early June. Some gourd types cantake up to 130 days to reach maturity. Itis very important to plant gourd seeds atthe correct time because some are usedprimarily or al l decoration. You do notwant to plant too early and have yourproduct rot or lose color beore sale time,but you do not want it to come in so latethat you miss your market window. Kettle

and bushel gourds should be startedindoors in early- to mid-April and set outas transplants in May once avorable tem-peratures are reached. Tey may benetrom black plastic mulch.

Table 2. Fertilizer recommendations orgourds based on soil test results (lb/A).

PHOSPHORUS

Soil Test Reading

Phosphate(P2O5)

Needed

Low: 30 or less 180

Medium: 31-60 120

High: 61-80 60Very High: above 80 0

POTASSIUM

Soil Test Reading

Potash(K2O)

Needed

Low: 200 or less 300

Medium: 201-300 200

High: 301-450 100

Very High: above 450 50

NITROGEN

Apply 40 to 50 lb nitrogen just beore plant-ing and disk into the soil. Sidedressing ortopdressing an additional 30 to 50 lb onitrogen at rst bloom is recommended.Rainall, soil organic matter levels, and previ-ous cropping history o the land dictate ni-trogen needs. Avoid applying nitrogen overtop o plants when oliage is wet because itmay burn ruit as well as oliage.

Table 1. Ornamental gourds.

CultivarDays to

Maturity Comments Source

Apple 110-120 Shaped like an apple, green with speckles o white, 6 to 8 inches in diameter Seedway, Rupp, Harris

Autumn Wings 100 A unique gourd o many colors with wings and warts with a general spoonshape

Seedway, Rupp

Birdhouse 120-125 Large pear-shaped ruit with smooth skin and hard shell when dried Seedway, Stokes, Harris, Rupp

Cavemans Club 120-125 12- to 18-inch-long gourds with narrow handles and a deeply veined bulb on theend

Seedway, Stokes, Rupp, Harris

Crown o Thorns 90-100 4 to 5 inches in diameter, roughly round with curved ngers curling toward theblossom end


Dipper 120 Long neck with bulb on end Seedway, Stokes, Rupp

Bushel 120 Large round gourds, 12 to 16 inches high with 20-inch diameter, when driedhave approximately -inch thickness

Stokes

Kettle 120 Large, basket-shaped gourd with a domed top, used or baskets, bowls anddecorative conainers.

Seedway

Large Mixture 100-130 An assortment o large types o gourds including dipper, bottle, cavemans club,swan, birdhouse


Lua 130 Inside can be peeled out ater curing to reveal a sponge-like material Rupp

Small Mixture 90-100 Assortment o small, brightly colored gourds, good or all decorations Stokes, Harris

Spoon 90-95 Spoon shaped with selections o solid color or bicolor Rupp, Harris

Swan 100-125 Necked ruit gives a swan like appearance, bulb on both ends Seedway, Stokes, Rupp, Harris

Warted Mixture 95-100 Mixture o warted gourds with various shapes and colors, including spoons,

rounds, pears


Seedway: 99 Industrial Road, Elizabethtown, PA 17022, 800-952-7333, www.seedway.comStokes: Box 548, Bualo, NY 14240-0548, 800-263-7233, www.stokeseeds.comRupp Seeds: 800-700-1199Harris Seeds: 355 Paul Road, P.O. Box 24966, Rochester, NY 14624-0966, 800-544-7938, www.harrisseeds.com


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Plant Spacing

When using a planter, to 3 lb o seedare required per acre. I planting by hand,the amount o seed required may be less.Large ruited gourds will have 15 to 150seeds per ounce, while small gourds have300 to 400 seeds per ounce. Seeds germi-nate in ve to seven days at 75 to 80F. Cucurbita pepo seeds should be plant-ed 1 to inches deep and 6 to 1 inchesapart. Rows should be placed 6 to 8 eetapart. When the plants germinate, thinthem to one plant every 3 eet in the row.Tis is also the correct distance i youare using transplants. I you are plantingin hills, sow three to our seeds per hillevery 3 eet in the row. As germinationoccurs, thin this number to two or threeseeds per hill. Cucurbita pepo produces

vines that are 10 to 1 eet long. Lagenaria types may have vines thatgrow as much as 0 to 30 eet and mustbe 4 to 6 eet apart within the row, with10 to 15 eet between rows. Within twomonths the entire area will be lled with

vines.When growing Luas, rows are 6 to 9

eet apart with plants spaced 4 to 5 eetapart within the row.

Gourds climb well and can be trainedto grow up a trellis, ence, or tree easily.Growing the ruit this way leads to astraighter ruit and one which is lesslikely to rot beore it matures. However,

very large gourds, such as the Aricankettle, should not be grown on a trellisbecause its tendrils could not support itsimmense weight.

Pruning Gourd Vines

PruningLagenariavines can lead toan increase in the number o ruit borneper vine. When the vine reaches 10 eet,remove the end o the main stem. Temain stem will have mostly male owers;the lateral shoots will be mostly emale.On Lua gourds, the rst three to ourlateral shoots are removed to increase

yields.

IrrigationGourds, like many other vegetable

crops, may require supplemental waterduring the growing season. In Kentucky,there will be at least two to our weekswhen plants could be stressed rom lacko adequate water. During the growingseason, 1 to inches o water per week isadequate. Soaker hoses or drip irrigationis ideal or irrigating gourds. Overheadirrigation may wet the leaves excessively,which can lead to disease problems. Also,do not water late in the day because thiscould promote diseases. oward the endo the season, withhold water to ripengourds and allow the ruit to harden o.

Pollination RequirementsGourds are a monoecious plant,

which means they have separate emale

and male owers on the same plant. Tismeans that insects must carry the pollenrom the male owers to the emale ow-ers to have ruit set. Flowers remain openor only one day, which means that thebees need to be present then or properpollination to occur. It takes rom eightto 10 visits per ower to achieve pollina-tion. One strong hive is recommendedor every one to two acres o gourdsplanted. For growers with less than oneacre o plants, wild bees should be able toaccomplish the task o pollination.

Te hardshell gourds, orLagenaria,bloom only at night. Although the exactpollinator is not known, it is believed thatthe job is done by a night ying moth.Others speculate it is accomplished by abee or even the cucumber beetle.

Growers need to be especial ly careulwhen spraying insecticides because thesecan also adversely aect good insectssuch as your pollinators. Do not sprayduring the time o day when bees areactive. Te best time to spray would be inthe late aternoon or early evening.

Gathering and MaturityGourds must remain on the vine until

they are ully mature. Mature ruit willhave a deep solid color and a hard rind.Cucurbita pepo will be the rst gourd tomature. Tis will occur in late summer.Tey can be harvested once their stemsturn brown and the tendrils next to themare dry. Immature gourds will not con-tinue to color up or harden once picked.

Lagenaria will probably not com-pletely mature until all. Tese gourdscan be removed rom the vine when thestem and the tendrils near the ruit arecompletely brown. It is best to allow themto stay on the vine until ater the rsthard rost, or until the vine has died.

Luas should be let on the vine until

the stem is completely dry and the gourdis turning brown on both ends. At thispoint, you should be able to squeeze thegourd and eel that the shell and the sotinterior have separated. When shaken,seeds should rattle.

With any gourd species, it is impor-tant to handle the ruit careully as youharvest it. Cut the stems with sharpshears or a knie. Avoid bruising orscratching the ruit to keep disease romentering or decay rom beginning.

Curing and Storing Gourds Cucurbita pepo gourds will usuallylast only one season, while aLagenariagourd can last many years once dried. odry theLagenaria gourds, they need tobe placed in an area o good ventilation.Tis could mean putting them on slottedshelves or on wooden pallets. Te waterinside the gourds will begin to evaporate.I you do not give the ruit proper space,it will become moldy and will be morelikely to rot. Te colors o the ruit willbegin to ade to a pale green, light brown,

or ivory color. Mold may orm on theoutside, eating away the epidermis. It ispossible to wipe the surace with a milddisinectant at this stage to prevent moldgrowth and mottling o the gourd shell.With most types o gourds, the ruit willbe considered dry when it loses weightand rattles when shaken.

It is not as easy to cure ornamental allgourds, they usually just rot. o dry them,store them in a cool area and leave themalone. Eventually they will lose theircolor and dry into a thin walled gourd.

o preserve the bright colors temporarily,the gourds can be polished with a lighturniture wax or a light salad oil. Usingshellac will clog the gourds pores, and itwill not be able to properly dry.

Ater either type o gourd has beenproperly dried, it is ready to be used inany ashion you so wish.


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Preparing LufaHarvest the Lua rom the eld when

they have dried on the vine or ater therst killing rost. Tey should be stored ina dry, warm, well-ventilated area. Store onracks or in mesh bags. Cut several incheso o the stem end. urn the gourd up-side down and gently tap it against yourpalm to dislodge the seeds. Submerge thegourd in a container o warm water orve to 0 minutes. Drain the gourd andmake a shallow cut the length o the outershell. Peel back the shell and li t out thesponge. Cut the sponges to the desiredsizes and work out the remaining seeds.Put them in the washing machine onthe short hot cycle with soap and a littlebleach. Allow to dry.

Insect ControlGrowing ornamental gourds or com-

mercial sale is a new crop or Kentucky.Insect and disease control recommenda-tions are those or cucurbits. Te inor-mation provided here is also available inVegetable Production Guide or Commer-cial Growers (ID-36) in a more condensedorm.

Gourds are subject to the same insectsthat attack cucumbers, muskmelons, andsquash. Te principal insects aectinggourds are aphids, cucumber beetles,squash bugs, and squash vine borers. Te

most serious o these insect pests are thesquash bugs and squash vine borers. Botho these insects can cause severe wiltingand death o the plants. Because gourdsrequire insects or pollination, elds inbloom should only be sprayed in lateaternoon to minimize bee losses.

Insect control is essential on mostcultivars to control bacterial wilt spreadby the striped and spotted cucumberbeetles.

Squash vine borers can be seriousin some plantings. Squash vine borers

must be controlled on a preventive basis;once they are inside the stems, there isno eective control. Squash vine borers

usually begin entering the stem at groundlevels around mid-June. reat or squash

vine borers beginning the third weekin June and repeat three to ve times atweekly intervals.

A weekly application o an insecticide

starting when the vines begin to run issuggested. Ater harvest is complete,deep tillage or removal o crop residuewill help to delay and/or reduce inesta-tion the next spring.

Squash bugs harm gourds by remov-ing plant sap and transmitting a bacte-rium that causes yellow vine decline. Forthis reason, early squash bug control is

very important, particularly when theplants are small. Squash bug adults beginto y into (cucurbit) gourd elds aboutthe time vines begin to run. Fields should

be monitored regularly or the insects.Egg clusters are ound on the undersideo leaves in the angle ormed by the veins.Eggs are brown, spindle shaped andabout 1/16-inch long. Fields should betreated when adults are present or wheneggs are ound hatching. iming is im-portant as larger nymphs are much moredifcult to control with insecticides thansmall nymphs. Ater har vest is complete,deep tillage or removal o crop residuewill help to delay and/or reduce ines-tation the next spring. o prevent the

transmission o the bacteria that causesyellow vine decline, controls should be

used as soon as squash bugs are ound tobe active in the eld.

Cucumber beetles eed on the tender,young seedlings as they emerge rom thesoil, but usually these are not as serious ason cucumbers and cantaloupes. reat or

cucumber beetles as plants emerge andrepeat as necessary. Occasionally, cucum-ber beetles will eed on the developingrind o the gourd, scarring the ruit.

I bacterial wilt-susceptible cultivarsare grown, cucumber beetle controlshould begin as soon as plants emerge(similar to cucumber or cantaloupe);otherwise, control only when moder-ate populations are present. As squashbug is a vector o yellow vine decline, itshould be controlled on varieties that aresusceptible to yellow vine decline once

plants emerge. Systemic insecticides usedor cucumber beetle control as a drenchimmediately ollowing transplanting havebeen shown to control cucumber beetlesor three to ve weeks and to suppresssquash bugs. However, control o squash

vine borer should start when gourd vinesbegin to run and continue on a regularbasis.

I other insects or diseases become aproblem, get them diagnosed promptlyand properly so changes in the controlprograms can be made, i necessary. Also,

be sure to harvest ornamental gourdspromptly upon maturity and beore rost.

Table 3. Chemicals labeled or insect control use on gourds.

Chemical Rate Comments

Acramite 50 WS 0.75 to 1.0 lb/A Mite control as a oliar spray

Admire 2F 16 to 24 f oz/A Post-transplant drench or control o cucumber beetlesand aphids

Capture 2EC 2.6 to 6.4 f oz/A Cucumber beetles, cutworms, plant bugs, squashbugs, and squash vine borers

Oberon 2 SC 7 to 8.5 f oz/A Mite control as a oliar spray

Platinum 2SC 5 to 8 oz/A Aphid control as a post-transplant drench

Pounce 3.2EC 4 to 8 oz/A Cucumber beetles, cutworms, plant bugs, squashbugs, and squash vine borers

Sevin 80 S 1.25 lb/A Cucumber beetle control as a oliar spray

Venom 20 SG 0.44 to 0.895 lb/A Whitefy and aphid control as a oliar spray

1.13 to 1.34 lb/A Whitefy and aphid control as a soil drench


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Table 4. Disease-management chemicals labeled or gourds in Kentucky.

Product Target Diseases

Product Rate/A per: PHI(days)

FRACGroupApp. Season

Acrobat50WP1

Downy mildew 6.4 oz 32 oz 0 40

AlietteWDG2

Downy mildew 2-5 lb See oot-note 2.

33

Apron XL Pythium damping-o 0.085-0.64f oz/cwt3

- 0 4

Cabrio EG4 Alternaria blight, anthracnose,downy mildew, gummy stemblight, powdery mildew

8-16 oz 64 oz 0 11

Dithane DF Anthracnose, downy mildew 2-3 lb 19 lb 5 M2

Flint4 Downy mildew, powdery mildew 1.5-4 oz 8 oz 0 11

Manzate75DF

Downy mildew 2-3 lb 18 lb 5 M2

Maxim Seedborne diseases (exceptPythium)

0.08-0.16f oz/cwt3

- 0 12

Nova 40W5 Powdery mildew 2.5-5 oz 1.5 lb 0 3

Penncozeb75 DF

Anthracnose, downy mildew 2-3 lb 19 lb 5 M2

Phosporousacids6

Downy mildew see label n/a 0 33

Pristine4 Alternaria blight, anthracnose,downy mildew, gummy stemblight, powdery mildew

12.5-18.5 oz 74 oz 0 7/11

Procure50WS5

Powdery mildew 4-8 oz 40 oz 0 3

1 Acrobat must be tank mixed with another ungicide that is eective against downy mildew.2 Do not exceed seven applications per season; Do not exceed 3.75 lb o product per application in

the ollowing counties: Hart, Logan, Marshall, Warren (use o Aliette is restricted to protect reshwa-ter mollusks and their habitat).

3 cwt=hundredweight (100 lb o seed).4 Do not make more than our applications o FRAC group 11 ungicides per season; do not make

back-to-back applications o these products.5 Do not make back-to-back applications o FRAC group 3 ungicides.6 Phosphorous acid generating products (PAGs) include Fosphite, Helena ProPhyt, Phostrol, and

Topaz. See product labels or rates.

Table 5. Disease-management chemicals labeled or gourds in Kentucky.

Product Target Diseases

Product Rate/A per: PHI(days)

FRACGroupApp. Season

Quadris1 Alternaria blight, anthracnose, bellyrot, downy mildew, gummy stemblight, powdery mildew

11-15.4 f oz 2.88 qt 1 11

Reason500SC1

Alternaria blight, downy mildew 5.5 f oz 22 f oz 14 11

RidomilGold EC2

Pythium damping-o, cottony leak 1-2 pt 2 pt 0 4

RidomilGold /Copper

Downy mildew 2 lb 8 lb 5 4

Serenade

ASO3

Downy mildew, gummy stem

blight, powdery mildew

2-6 qt no limit 0 n/a

Tanos1 Alternaria blight, anthracnose,downy mildew

8 oz 2 lb 3 11/27

UltraFlourish2

Pythium damping-o, cottony leak 2-4 pt 4 pt 0 4

1 Do not make more than our applications o FRAC group 11 ungicides per season; do not makeback-to-back applications o these products.

2 Apply Ridomil Gold or Ultra Flourish (same active ingredient) to soil prior to planting; do not applyto oliage. Product must be incorporated mechanically or by irrigation water (or rainall) ater ap-plication.

3 Approved or use in organic production systems (OMRI-approved).

Disease ManagementGourds get a number o diseases that

attack all parts o the plant. Under avor-able conditions, these diseases can causeconsiderable damage to oliage and ruit.Diseases that occur on gourds are essen-tially the same as those common to other

cucurbits, such as cantaloupe, cucumber,pumpkin, squash, and watermelon. Usean approach that integrates cultural andchemical methods to get the best controlo diseases on gourds.

Disease Management Tips ake advantage o the benets oered

by crop rotation. Dont plant gourds orother cucurbit crops continuously inthe same place. A number o diseases,particularly those caused by soilbornepathogens, can be suppressed by ro-

tating gourds each year to land notplanted to cucurbits or two to three

years (or more i possible). Purchase high-quality seed to avoid

problems with seed-borne pathogens.Avoid saving seed, i possible, to mini-mize the risk o carrying pathogensover. I saving seed, harvest romsound, disease-ree ruit.

Plant into warm, well-drained soils.Tis will help reduce the incidence odamping-o by creating an unavor-able environment or pathogens that

cause damping-o and by promotingrapid emergence o seedlings.

Plant into areas where air movementis good and where shading is minimal.Space plants to promote good aircirculation. Tese steps will promoterapid drying o soil and oliage, whichin turn will make conditions less a-

vorable or many diseases. Avoid planting gourds near tobacco or

other cucurbit crops. Insects such asaphids thrive on tobacco and cucur-bits and carry viral pathogens that will

also inect gourds. Many ungal andbacterial diseases are common to allcucurbits and could move rom onecrop to another.

Control insects. Cucumber beetlesvector the pathogen that causes bac-terial wilt, and aphids carry severalimportant plant viruses.


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Use ungicides wisely. Fungicides arean important part o any good diseasemanagement program but should notbe relied upon solely. ake care to readand ollow the labels o the ungicidesbeing used. Tis will ensure sae andeective applications o these prod-ucts and wil l also help prevent the

buildup o ungicide-resistant patho-gen populations or certain high-riskungicides. Use a ungicide seed treat-ment or purchase ungicide-treatedseed to avoid losses to damping-o incold and wet soils.

Control weeds in and around thearea where gourds are planted. Alongwith competing or light, moisture,and nutrients, weeds harbor insectsand plant pathogens that may attackgourds.

Common DiseasesAlternaria Lea Blight

Alternaria lea blight (ALB) occursmainly during rainy and warm periods.Lesions appear on older leaves rst, andare small and yellow-brown in color.Tese lesions will expand to large, brownareas that can coalesce, causing the leato take on a cupped appearance. Heavydeoliation due to ALB oten results insunscald on ruit. Te causal agent,Alter-naria cucumerina, can survive or up totwo years in crop residue.

Management. Rotation away rom suscep-tible crops or two years, along with deepplowing o crop residue ater harvest,will reduce inoculum levels in soil. Avoidoverhead irrigation, or water early in theday to minimize the length o time thatoliage stays wet. Regular application oungicides will also provide good sup-pression o ALB (see Chemical Controlon page 8 or recommended materials).

Anthracnose

Anthracnose is a common diseasein Kentucky, particularly in warm, wetgrowing seasons, and can aect all plantparts. Te disease can progress rapidly onoliage and can cause serious losses dur-ing periods o warm and rainy weather.Lesions on leaves start out as small, cir-cular spots that later expand to roughly0.5 inch in diameter. ypically, crackswill appear in the center o lesions or thecenters will drop out completely, giving

a shot-hole appearance to the lea. Le-sions on stems are tan, shallow, and oval-to-diamond shaped. Lesions on ruit rstappear as sunken, circular, water-soakedareas that expand with age (particularlyater harvest). Under humid conditions,lesions may blacken and become cov-ered with a pinkish mass o spores. Te

pathogen, Colletotrichum orbiculare, canbe seed-borne and can survive on plantresidue in soil or on volunteer cucurbits.

Management. Rotation away rom suscep-tible crops or at least a year (two yearsis preerable), along with deep plowingo crop residue ater harvest, wil l reduceinoculum levels in soil. Regular applica-tion o ungicides will also provide goodsuppression o anthracnose (see Chemi-cal Control on page 8 or recommendedmaterials).

Bacterial WiltBacterial wilt, caused byErwinia

tracheiphila, appears initially as a sud-den wilt o the vines in small sections,progressing later to large-scale collapse o

vines. Feeding injury caused by cucum-ber beetles, the sole vector o the patho-gen, is oten visible on stems and leavesassociated with collapsed vines. Tecausal agent o bacterial wilt overwintersin and is spread by cucumber beetles.

Management. Prevention is through con-

trol o the cucumber beetles (see InsectControl on page 4). Rescue treatments(ater inection) are o no help in control-ling bacterial wilt.

Belly Rot

Caused byRhizoctonia solani, a soil-borne ungus, this disease is character-ized by sunken, water-soaked areas (orlesions) that are tan-to-brown in color onthe portions o ruit in contact with soil.Lesions tend to orm large, dry craters asthey age.

Management. Crop rotation can be o lim-ited value in managing belly rot; however,deep turning will encourage decomposi-tion o crop residue (and the pathogen) insoil. Certain ungicides (seeChemical Control on page 8) arelabeled or control o belly rot; however,results tend to be inconsistent with soil-applied materials.

Choanephora Fruit Rot (Wet Rot)

High moisture and warm tempera-tures avor this disease, characterized bya wet rot o blossoms and later the blos-som end o ruit. White ungal growthcan be observed, along with prousesporulation that is black in color. Te lat-ter has a distinct, bristly, or whisker-likeappearance. Te pathogen, Choanephoracucurbitarum, survives on numeroushosts in the eld and is spread by wind,rain, and insects.

Management. Fungicides have not beeneective in managing Choanephora ruitrot. Steps taken to improve air movementwithin the eld may help suppress thedisease by decreasing periods o wetnesson susceptible plant parts.

Cottony Leak

Caused by species oPythium, a soil-borne ungus, this disease is character-ized by a sot, wet rot and the presenceo prouse, uzzy (cottony) growth omycelium, or ungal threads, coveringpart or all o inected ruit.

Management. Crop rotation can be olimited value in managing cottony leak;however, practices that promote good soildrainage can minimize losses to this dis-ease. In poorly drained soils, a pre-plantapplication o Ridomil Gold or UltraFlourish will help suppress cottony leak(see Chemical Control on page 8).

Damping-of

Tis disease can occur beore orater germination o seed and is causedprimarily by one or more species o soil-bornePythium. Damping-o is avoredby cool, wet soil conditions.

Management. Crop rotation can be olimited value in managing damping o;however, practices that promote goodsoil drainage can minimize losses to this

disease. Avoid planting when soil tem-peratures are cool or prolonged periodso time. Seed treatment with Apron XL(0.085-0.64 oz/100 lb o seed) is aneective means to control damping-ocaused byPythium spp. Commerciallyavailable seeds are treated with thismaterial by the manuacturer. In poorlydrained soils, a pre-plant application oRidomil Gold or Ultra Flourish will helpsuppress damping-o (see ChemicalControl on page 8).


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Downy Mildew

Downy mildew, caused byPseudo-peronospora cubensis, is a devastating andast-moving disease o cucurbits and oc-curs in Kentucky mainly in late summerto early all. High humidity or rainalland moderate-to-warm temperaturesavor disease development. Downy mil-dew rst appears as pale- to bright-yellowspots on the upper surace o leaves in thecrown area o the plant; these spots maybe irregular or blocky in appearance.As lesions expand and the number olesions increases, leaves become necroticand plants will appear scorched. On theundersides o leaves, lesions will be wa-ter-soaked and slightly sunken; prousesporulation (light to dark gray or evenpurple in color) will be evident whenhumidity is high.

Management. Downy mildew can causenear-total deoliation o a susceptiblecrop in less than a week under avor-able conditions; waiting to treat or thisdisease ater symptoms appear can resultin severe losses. Crop rotation is o no

value in managing downy mildew be-cause the pathogen moves into Kentuckyrom the south each year. Selecting siteswith good air movement will reduce thelength o time that leaves stay wet and,thereore, decrease avorable conditionsor the downy mildew pathogen. A good

ungicide program, applied on a timelybasis, is an eective means to managedowny mildew (see Chemical Controlon page 8 or recommended materials).Resistance to meenoxam (Ridomil Gold,Ridomil Gold Bravo, Ridomil Gold/Cop-per, and Ultra Flourish) is commonin populations o the downy mildewpathogen, as is resistance to QoI (qui-nine-outside inhibitor) ungicides suchas azoxystrobin (Quadris), pyraclostrobin(Cabrio), and enamidone (Reason); grow-ers should monitor the perormance o

these products closely. Protectants suchas mancozeb (Dithane DF) work well butmust be applied prior to inection or besteect.

Gummy Stem Blight (Black Rot)

Tis is a very destructive disease o cu-curbits and is avored by warm and rainyweather. Caused byDidymella bryoniae,gummy stem blight can occur on all plantpartsleaves, stems, and ruit (blackrot). Lesions on leaves are circular andtan-to-brown in color, and can expandquickly. Lea veins aected by gummystem blight wil l appear water-soaked andorange-brown in color. Lesions on stemsand vines are water-soaked initially,orange-brown in color, and may exhibita gummy, amber colored exudate. Olderlesions tend to orm tan colored cankers.Lesions on ruit begin as small, water-soaked spots that later expand and mayexude a gummy ooze. Lesions on all plantparts will contain numerous black ruit-ing bodies (pycnidia). Te gummy stemblight pathogen is seed-borne and cansurvive in inected crop debris.

Management. Prompt destruction o cropresidue by deep-turning can be eective,as can a two-year rotation away rom sus-ceptible crops. Fungicide seed treatmentsare important in reducing outbreaks ogummy stem blight caused by seed-borneinoculum. As with anthracnose, regularapplication o ungicides will also providegood suppression o gummy stem blight(see Chemical Control on page 8 orrecommended materials). Resistance to

the benzimidazole ungicide, thiophan-ate-methyl (opsin M), QoI ungicidessuch as azoxystrobin (Quadris) and pyra-clostrobin (Cabrio) has been documentedin the southeastern United States. Careshould be taken when using these materi-als, as insensitive strains oD. bryoniaewill not be controlled by these products.

Powdery Mildew

Powdery mildew, caused primar-ily byPodosphaera xanthii, is the mostprevalent and devastating ungal disease

o cucurbits in Kentucky. Favored bywarm, dry conditions, powdery mildewcan cause large-scale deoliation whichreduces yields (size and quality) andincreases the likelihood o sunscald onruit. Symptoms appear rst on older

leaves or shaded portions o the plantand appear as talc-like colonies on upperand lower lea suraces. As the diseaseprogresses, the entire lea surace will becolonized by the ungus and symptomswill develop on stems and ruit. Severelyinected leaves will become necrotic anddie within a short period o time, result-

ing in deoliation. Powdery mildew ismost severe ater ruit-set and in denselyplanted elds.

Management. Resistance to powderymildew in gourd varieties is not welldescribed. Powdery mildew can becontrolled through the preventive ap-plication o ungicides (see ChemicalControl on page 8 or registered materi-als). Insensitivity to DMI ungicides suchas myclobutanil (Nova), and to the QoIungicides (Cabrio, Flint, Pristine, Quad-ris), has been documented in the UnitedStates, and growers should monitor cropsclosely or reduced efcacy when thesematerials are applied.

Virus Diseases

Diseases caused by viruses are com-mon on cucurbits in Kentucky, especiallyduring warm weather and later in theseason (when insect populations tendto be higher). Cucumber mosaic virus(CMV), Papaya ringspot virus (PRSV),and Watermelon Mosaic Virus (WMV-) are among the most common viralpathogens. Symptoms include stunting,mosaic patterns on leaves, and lea distor-tion. Aphids are the primary vectors orthe major viruses that attack cucurbits inKentucky.

Management. Eliminate weeds within a150-oot border around the eld, and usea barrier crop o corn around the plant-ing. Avoid planting near other cucurbitcrops or near tobacco, which may serveas a reservoir o one or more viruses.Research has demonstrated that applica-

tions o stylet oil every two to three dayscan slow the spread o virus within a eld.


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Chemical ControlTanks to the introduction o new

classes o chemistry in recent years,there are more products now or useon gourds than ever beore. Fungicidesand bactericides, though, should not berelied upon as the sole means o controlor any disease and should be integratedinto a comprehensive managementprogram that includes other practices.For best eect, most disease-controlproducts need to be in place prior toinection by a particular pathogen, andregular applications o these materials areimportant to achieve good control. Howregular application is dened dependsupon the weather and disease pressure.For example, under highly avorableconditions or disease, a grower shouldconsider applying ungicides on a ve- toseven-day schedule; when disease pres-sure is low or when conditions dont avordisease, this schedule could be stretchedto 10 to 14 days. Spray equipment shouldbe calibrated and congured properly toensure good coverage.

Growers should consider that cucur-bits in Kentucky are aected by a numbero ungal diseases, and a spray programneeds to address all potential pathogens.Fortunately, its possible to build a un-gicide program that wil l provide reason-able control o most, i not all, o theungal diseases that occur on cucurbits inKentucky. Disease-specic products canbe used to supplement the ungicide pro-gram in situations when certain diseases,such as downy or powdery mildew, ap-pear and are not suppressed adequatelyby the existing program.

Te best choice or the backbone oa ungicide program should be the least-expensive and efcacious protectant un-gicide that can be obtained. In the case ogourds, products containing mancozeb(Dithane, Manzate, and Penncozeb) tthis description. Begin the spray programwith mancozeb, and then alternate other

products with mancozeb (or tank-mixwith mancozeb), being careul to observeseasonal limits or each product. Earlyin the season, mancozeb can be usedexclusively or the rst ew sprays; beginapplications o other products as the cropincreases in size, i conditions begin to a-

vor disease development, or i symptomso a particular disease appear.

Resistance management is a criti-cal issue acing agricultural producersaround the world. Misuse o ungicideproducts can lead to the development o

insensitivity (resistance) to certain activeingredients in populations o ungal plantpathogens, leading to a partial or com-plete loss o efcacy. Te risk o resistanceto a particular active ingredient dependsupon the mode o action o the com-pound in question. Mancozeb, or exam-ple, is a multi-site inhibitor, and aectsmultiple biochemical mechanisms withintarget ungi. Tis means that the risk oungi becoming insensitive to mancozebis very low, making products containingmancozeb good choices or tank-mix or

rotational partners with specic modeo action ungicides, such as Quadris orNova. Fungicides with specic modes oaction aect single biochemical mecha-nisms within target ungi, and the risk othese ungi becoming insensitive to suchungicides is relatively high compared tomulti-site inhibitors.

In the case o ungicides with specicmodes o action, avoid sequential applica-tions with the same product or productswith the same mode o action. Repeatedexposure to such products increases therisk o resistance development in ungalpathogens. Given the number o productson the market that have the same active

ingredient or have the same mode oaction, it can be difcult to decide whichproducts can be used sequentially in aspray program. Manuacturers o un-gicides have begun to address this issue.Fungicides that are at risk or develop-ment o resistance will list a FungicideResistance Action Committee (FRAC)code, along with specic resistancemanagement guidelines, on the productlabel. FRAC has classied the active in-gredients ound in ungicide products bytheir mode o action and assigned them a

group number, called the FRAC group.Fungicides within the same FRAC groupshare the same active ingredient or havethe same mode o action even i theybelong to a dierent chemical class. Tusit is not necessary to memorize mode oaction or each ungicide that is beingused; instead, use the products FRACcode to decide how each ts in a season-long spray program. Careul adherenceto resistance management guidelines willgo a long way in delaying or preventingthe development o resistance to valuable

disease management tools.


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Table 6. Weed control or gourds in Kentucky.

Preemergence

Product/A a.i./A Remarks

6 to 14 ptDacthal 6F

4.5 to 10.5 lbDCPA

For preemergence control o annual grasses and small-seeded broadleaves. Apply only to cropswith our to ve true leaves that are well established and when growing conditions are avorable.Do not incorporate. Not labeled or transplanted crop.

5 to 6 qtPrear 4E

5 to 6 lbbensulide

For control o grasses and some broadlea weeds. Apply preplant and incorporate to 1-inchdepth. Can also be applied preemergence only i it can be watered immediately. Do not combinewith ertilizers.

0.5 to 1 ozSandea 75DF

0.023 to 0.046 lbhalosuluron

For weed control o broadlea weeds and yellow nutsedge. PHI = 30 days. Maximum 2 oz/season.Can be applied to seeded or transplanted gourds grown on plastic mulch. Make sure that bedsare properly crowned to reduce risk o herbicide accumulation in planting holes. Do not use iconditions avor rainall to avoid stunting or injury to the crop. Can also be used postemergencewith non-ionic suractant 0.5% v/v to improve control.

1 to 2 ptGoal 2XL

0.25 to 0.5 lboxyfuoren

For preemergence and postemergence control o certain annual grasses and most broadleaves.For allow bed preparation only. For seeded crops only. At least -inch rain or irrigation should

occur within three weeks o application. The allow bed should be worked to at least 2.5 inchesprior to planting to avoid crop injury. Best i used with glyphosate or control o winter annualbroadlea weeds. Minimum 90 days between application and planting at 1 pt/A rate and 120days at 2 pt/A rate.

1.25 ptTrefan 4E

0.625 lbtrifuralin

For preemergence control o annual grasses and broadlea weeds. Best results i incorporatedwithin 24 hours. Can be applied as a directed; spray between rows ater the crop is in 3 to 4 truelea stage and incorporate. Avoid oliage contact. PHI = 30 days. Maximum 1 application/season.Do not use i annual rain and irrigation is less than 20 inches.

Postemergence

Product/A Lb a.i./A Remarks

0.5 to 2 f ozAim 2EC

0.008 to 0.032 lbcarentrazone

For contact postemergence control o annual broadlea weeds and suppression o annualgrasses. Can be applied as a preplant or pretransplant burndown at 2 f oz/A. Can also be appliedbeore crop emerges to actively growing weeds up to 4-inches tall. Can also be applied post-emergence as a directed hooded application between crop rows. Use minimum 10 gal water/Aand crop oil 1% v/v. Maximum rate 6.1 f oz/A. PHI = 0 days.

9 to 16 f oz

Select Max 1E

0.14 to 0.25 lb

clethodim

For selective postemergence o actively growing annual grasses and suppression o perennial

grasses. Add crop oil 1% v/v. Maximum 16 f oz/application and 64 f oz/season. Minimum 14 dayinterval between applications. PHI = 14 days.

11 to 44 f ozRoundup WeatherMax 5.5L

0.47 to 1.88 lbglyphosate

For nonselective postemergence control o annual and perennial grasses and broadlea weeds.Use only AMS 1% to 2% v/v. Adding a non-ionic suractant can reduce weed control eective-ness. Can be applied preplant with three days minimum beore planting. Can also be applied as adirected shielded postemergence.

1.3 to 2.7 ptGramoxone Max 3L

0.5 to 1 lbparaquat

For nonselective contact kill o annual grasses and broadlea weeds and top-kill o perennialweeds. Can be applied as a pre-plant or pretransplant burndown at 2 f oz/A. Can also be ap-plied beore crop emerges to actively growing weeds up to 4-inches tall. Can also be appliedpostemergence as a directed hooded application between crop rows. Use higher rates or heavyweed inestations. Use non-ionic suractant 0.25% v/v. Maximum 3 applications/season.

1 to 10%Scythe 4.2L

pelargonic acid For nonselective contact control o annual grasses and broadlea weeds. Use in minimum 10 galwater/A i mixed with other herbicides or a minimum 75 gal i used alone. Do not allow contactwith crop oliage. Scythe at 1% to 3% enhances the activity o other postemergence herbicidessuch as Aim or Roundup.

Weed ControlControl weeds by using mulches or

through shallow cultivation. Cultivationis limited to hand pulling when vinesare large. On younger plants, remember

that gourds are relatively shallow-rootedand cultivation should be done shallowlyto prevent root pruning. Ater harvest,destroy crop debris and establish a covercrop to reduce potential weed and dis-ease problems in uture crops.


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Table 7. Ornamental gourdsestimated per-acre costs and returns, direct market.

Quantity Unit $/Unit Total Your Farm

GROSS RETURNS

Arican Kettle Gourd 900 Large gourds 5.00 4500.00

VARIABLE COSTS

Production

Transplants 605 plants 0.10 60.50

Lime 0.5 ton 12.12 6.06

Fertilizer 1 acre 85.00 85.00

Herbicides 1 acre 34.25 34.25

Insecticides 1 acre 51.87 51.87

Fungicides 1 acre 56.25 56.25

Machine variable costs 1 acre 57.42 57.42

Pollination 1 hire 40.00 40.00

Irrigation 90 hrs 0.40 36.00

Black plastic/drip lines 1 acre 300.00 300.00

Total Production Cost 727.35

Harvesting and Marketing

Plastic disposal 18 hrs 8.00 144.00

Plastic disposal ee 1 acre 10.00 10.00Hired Labor:

Harvest 80 hrs 8.00 640.00

Marketing cost (10% o gross) 10% of gross 450.00

Total Harvest & Marketing Cost 1244.00

Interest on Variable Costs 60.72

TOTAL VARIABLE COST 2032.07

RETURN ABOVE VARIABLE COSTS 2467.93

FIXED COSTS

Depreciation o machinery & equipment 109.97

Depreciation on irrigation system 159.94Taxes on land 5.00

Insurance 22.50

TOTAL FIXED COSTS 297.41

TOTAL EXPENSES 2329.48

RETURN TO OPERATOR LABOR, LAND, CAPITAL AND MGMT. 2170.52

Operator/unpaid amily labor 20 hrs 8.00 160.00

RETURN TO LAND, CAPITAL & MANAGEMENT 2010.52

Per acre return above variable costs at various prices and yields or Cucurbita pepo.

bu boxes/acres$/Box 150 200 250 300 350 400 450

5.50 -703 -633 -562 -491 -420 -305 -278

6.50 -570 -453 -338 -222 -106 10 126

7.00 -502 -364 -225 -87 51 190 328

7.50 -435 -274 -113 48 209 369 530

8.00 -367 -184 -1 182 366 549 732

9.00 -233 -5 224 452 680 908 1136

10.00 -98 175 448 721 994 1267 1540

Harvesting and marketing cost adjusted or yield. Return shown is an estimateo unds available or operator and unpaid labor, debt payments, and overhead.Returns will depend on the amount o hired labor used.

Yield Expectationsand Returns

A grower might expect around 900to 4,000 hard shellLagenaria gourds(swan, birdhouse, kettle, snake) per acredepending on the type. For the smallminiature or ornamental gourds that

weigh 3 to 4 ounces each, a grower mightexpect 0,000 to 30,000 per acre.

Gross returns may vary rom $1,000to $5,000 per acre, depending on cul-tural techniques, variety, and marketingmethod. otal out-o-pocket costs orseed, ertilizer, herbicides, insecticides,ungicides, land preparation, and irriga-tion will usually be about $700 to $800per acre. Harvesting, handling, andstorage may require around 80 hours olabor. For gourds requiring washing andpacking in hal-bushel boxes there will

be an additional expense o about $ perbox.

Season and market conditions greatlyaect returns. When production is high,anticipated markets become scarce ormay disappear, leaving product unsold.

For thick-shelled gourds, prot canincrease considerably by crating them(painting, wood-burning, carving, etc.).


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Authors Amanda Ferguson Sears, Joe Masabni, and erry Jones

Department o Horticulture Ric Bessin

Department o Entomology Kenny Seebold

Department o Plant Pathology

im WoodsDepartment o Agricultural Economics


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Educational programs o Kentucky Cooperative Extension serve all people regardless o race, color, age, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. Issued in urtherance o CooperativeExtension work, Acts o May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department o Agriculture, M. Scott Smith, Director o Cooperative Extension Service, University oKentucky College o Agriculture, Lexington, and Kentucky State University, Frankort. Copyright 2007 or materials developed by University o Kentucky Cooperative Extension.This publication may be reproduced in portions or its entirety or educational or nonprot purposes only. Permitted users shall give credit to the author(s) and include this copyrightnotice. Publications are also available on the World Wide Web at www.ca.uky.edu.Issued 3-2007

Where trade names are used, no endorse-ment is intended, nor criticism implied osimilar products not named.

gourd prooduction

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