This disease occurs commonly but sporadically on Long Island, and elsewhere in the region, reflecting environmental conditions. The pathogen has a very large host range and infects a large diversity of plants including many other crops and also ornamental plants and broadleaf weeds. It is more commonly seen affecting beans, cabbage, lettuce, pepper, and tomato.
More information:
- Photo Gallery white mold on tomato webpage
- White mold and its management in cabbage, beans, and other vegetables
The black structures on the kabocha squash and pumpkin in the photographs below are sclerotia, the pathogen’s survival structures that enable it to survive in soil for years. Seeing sclerotia confirms the disease is white mold. The pumpkin was in a load purchased from a grower in another state to re-stock a pumpkin u-pick field, which documents the importance of carefully inspecting pumpkins when received to avoid potentially introducing a pathogen into a production field.
