Cucurbits are members of the Cucurbitaceae family. Although there are 825 species of cucurbits, there are only four major crops: cucumber, melon (e.g., cantaloupe), squash (including pumpkin), and watermelon. All four of these are grown commercially in North Carolina with the largest production in cucumbers and watermelons and significant acreage in squash and melons. Cucumbers in North Carolina are produced for two markets: processing (pickles) and slicing (fresh market). About two-thirds of the cucumber crop is grown for processing and the remainder for fresh market. Most cucumber production is in eastern North Carolina. A smaller center of production is in the mountains, south of Asheville. Watermelons and melons are grown in the Coastal Plain. Squash (including pumpkin) is grown throughout the state, but more concentrated in the Coastal Plain.

Some additional web sites:

• NC Watermelonn Association
• NC Pickle Producers Association
• Commercial Production of Pickling & Slicing Cucumbers in North Carolina
• Growing Pumpkins and Winter Squash by Jonathan R. Schultheis
• Summer Squash Production by Jonathan R. Schultheis
• Storing Winter Squash and Pumpkins by Jonathan R. Schultheis
• Trellised Cucumbers by Douglas C. Sanders and Jeanine M. Davis
• Fresh Market Production Cucumbers by Jonathan R. Schultheis
• Muskmelons (Cantaloupes) by Jonathan R. Schultheis

Disease factsheets

Anthracnose of cucurbits     NCSU Factsheet     Cornell Factsheet

Bacterial wilt of cucurbits identification     Cornell Factsheet

Bacterial wilt of cucurbits management     Cornell Factsheet

Cucurbit downy mildew     NCSU Factsheet

Foliar diseases of cucurbits     Cornell Factsheet

Fruit rots of squash and pumpkin     Cornell Factsheet

Fusarium diseases of cucurbits     Cornell Factsheet

Gummy stem blight     NCSU Factsheet     Cornell Factsheet

Identification of cucurbit diseases     Clemson Factsheet

Management of cucurbit diseases     Clemson Factsheet

Phytophthora blight of cucurbits     NCSU Factsheet     Cornell Factsheet

Powdery mildew of cucurbits     Cornell Factsheet

Scab of cucurbits     Cornell Factsheet

Septoria leaf and fruit spot of cucurbits     Cornell Factsheet

Virus diseases of cucurbits     Cornell Factsheet

Resistant varieties

The following tables compile varieties from seed companies that claim to have disease resistance

Pickling cucumber     Cornell Table

Slicing cucumber     Cornell Table

Specialty melon     Cornell Table

Muskmelon     Cornell Table

Pumpkin     Cornell Table

Watermelon     Cornell Table

Winter squash     Cornell Table

Yellow summer squash     Cornell Table

Zucchini     Cornell Table