Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. niveum Race 2: A Highly Aggressive Race New to the United States

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Abstract
In 1981, an isolate of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. niveum was isolated from a wilted watermelon [Citrullus vulgaris] plant in south central Texas that was highly aggressive toward several highly wilt-resistant watermelon cultivars. A second highly aggressive isolate was obtained in 1984 from the seed coat of a commercial lot of hybrid watermelon seed grown in north central Texas. Both isolates were highly aggressive in greenhouse tests, causing a mean of 90% wilt of all 17 watermelon cultivars tested, 10 of which are cosidered highly wilt-resistant. Comparisons with isolates of races 0, 1, and 2 (sensu Cirulli) indicated that the Texas isolates were identical to race 2, first described in Israel in 1973.