Seed-borne and post-harvest diseases of watermelon (Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Matsum. Nakai) and their management

Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Matsum. Nakai) family Cucurbitaceae is a popular dessert vegetable available round the year. It is an important multipurpose crop extensively grown in Rajasthan with widely accepted nutrients. It has very high water content (93ml/100g edible portion), carbohydrates (5 mg), calcium (8 mg), phosphorous (9 mg), ascorbic acid (8 mg), vitamins (0.64 g), lycopene and citrulline (per 100 g of edible portion). It is affected by various pre-harvest and post-harvest diseases that limit the marketability or restrict the economic returns to plant growers. In the field, vegetable is infected by various diseases but post-harvest diseases are also posing a great threat. The plant is attacked by various fungi, bacteria, viruses, mycoplasma and insects or diseases of non-parasitic origin.