In 1992, an unusual array of symptoms was found in Connecticut exclusi
vely on cultivar Howden pumpkins (Cucurbita pepo). The lesions decreas
ed marketability of the pumpkins and were categorized as a preharvest
dry, hard rot (type 2) or a postharvest soft, sunken rot (type 2). In
decreasing frequency of isolation, Fusarium acuminatum, F. equiseti, a
nd F. graminearum were isolated from type 1 lesions, and F. graminearu
m, F. equiseti, F. avenaceum, and F. solani were recovered from type 2
lesions. When isolates of each species were wound-inoculated into mat
ure pumpkins representing 13 cultivars of C. pepo, they all produced t
ype 2 lesions except F. acuminatum, which produced type 1 lesions. The
cultivar Atlantic Giant (Cucurbita maxima) was resistant to colonizat
ion by all Fusarium spp. tested. There was no effective inhibition of
hyphal growth or spore germination of F. acuminatum, F. equiseti, and
F. graminearum from eight fungicides tested in vitro.