Editing Cucurbita (section)

== Ecology ==
''Cucurbita'' species are used as food plants by the [[larva]]e of some [[Lepidoptera]] species, including the [[cabbage moth]] (''Mamestra brassicae''), ''[[Hypercompe indecisa]]'', and the [[turnip moth]] (''Agrotis segetum'').<ref name="drugscom">{{cite web |year=2009 |title=Pumpkin |url=https://www.drugs.com/npp/pumpkin.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130915155740/http://www.drugs.com/npp/pumpkin.html |archive-date=September 15, 2013 |access-date=September 1, 2013 |publisher=Drugs.com}}</ref> ''Cucurbita'' can be susceptible to the pest ''Bemisia argentifolii'' ([[silverleaf whitefly]])<ref name="mcauslane">{{cite journal |last1=McAuslane |first1=Heather J. |last2=Webb |first2=Susan E. |last3=Elmstrom |first3=Gary W. |date=June 1996 |title=Resistance in Germplasm of ''Cucurbita pepo'' to Silverleaf, a Disorder Associated with ''Bemisia argentifolii'' (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae) |url=http://journals.fcla.edu/flaent/article/download/59206/56885 |url-status=live |journal=The Florida Entomologist |location=Lutz, FL |publisher=Florida Entomological Society |volume=79 |issue=2 |pages=206–221 |doi=10.2307/3495818 |jstor=3495818 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170921220047/http://journals.fcla.edu/flaent/article/download/59206/56885 |archive-date=2017-09-21 |access-date=2018-04-20 |doi-access=free}}</ref> as well as aphids (''[[Aphididae]]''), [[cucumber beetle]]s (''Acalymma vittatum'' and ''[[Diabrotica undecimpunctata]] howardi''), squash bug (''[[Anasa tristis]]''), the [[squash vine borer]] (''Melittia cucurbitae''), and the two-spotted spidermite (''[[Tetranychus urticae]]'').<ref name="pestdisease">{{cite web |title=Vegetable Pumpkin |url=http://urbanext.illinois.edu/hortanswers/plantdetail.cfm?PlantID=629&PlantTypeID=9 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130820013036/http://urbanext.illinois.edu/hortanswers/plantdetail.cfm?PlantID=629&PlantTypeID=9 |archive-date=August 20, 2013 |access-date=October 20, 2013 |publisher=University of Illinois Extension}}</ref> The squash bug causes major damage to plants because of its very toxic saliva.<ref name="uflbug">{{cite web |title=Common Name: Squash Bug |url=http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/veg/leaf/squash_bug.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029193419/http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/veg/leaf/squash_bug.htm |archive-date=October 29, 2013 |access-date=October 26, 2013 |publisher=University of Florida}}</ref>
The [[red pumpkin beetle]] (''Aulacophora foveicollis'') is a serious pest of cucurbits, especially the pumpkin, which it can defoliate.<ref>{{cite web |title=Pumpkin beetle |url=https://www.indiaagronet.com/indiaagronet/pest_management/CONTENTS/pest%20cucurbits.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160616184556/https://www.indiaagronet.com/indiaagronet/pest_management/CONTENTS/pest%20cucurbits.htm |archive-date=16 June 2016 |access-date=20 May 2016 |work=Pests of Cucurbits |publisher=IndiaAgroNet.com}}</ref>
[[Cucurbitaceae|Cucurbits]] are susceptible to diseases such as [[bacterial wilt]] (''Erwinia tracheiphila''), anthracnose (''[[Colletotrichum]]'' spp.), fusarium wilt (''[[Fusarium]]'' spp.), phytophthora blight (''[[Phytophthora]]'' spp. [[Oomycete|water molds]]), and powdery mildew (''[[Erysiphe]]'' spp.).<ref name="pestdisease" /> [[Plant defense against herbivory|Defensive responses]] to viral, fungal, and bacterial leaf [[pathogen]]s do not involve cucurbitacin.<ref name="tallamy">{{cite journal |last1=Tallamy |first1=Douglas W. |last2=Krischik |first2=Vera A. |year=1989 |title=Variation and Function of Cucurbitacins in Cucurbita: An Examination of Current Hypotheses |journal=[[The American Naturalist]] |publisher=The University of Chicago Press |volume=133 |issue=6 |pages=766–786 |doi=10.1086/284952 |jstor=2462036 |s2cid=84696664}}</ref>

Species in the genus ''Cucurbita'' are susceptible to some types of [[mosaic virus]] including: [[cucumber mosaic virus]] (CMV), [[papaya ringspot virus]]-cucurbit strain (PRSV), [[squash mosaic virus]] (SqMV), [[tobacco ringspot virus]] (TRSV),<ref name="illaces">{{cite web |title=Mosaic Diseases of Cucurbits |url=http://web.aces.uiuc.edu/vista/pdf_pubs/926.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029185018/http://web.aces.uiuc.edu/vista/pdf_pubs/926.pdf |archive-date=October 29, 2013 |access-date=October 26, 2013 |publisher=University of Illinois}}</ref> [[watermelon mosaic virus]] (WMV), and [[zucchini yellow mosaic virus]] (ZYMV).<ref name="farmnote">{{cite web |title=Virus Diseases of Cucurbit Crops |url=http://archive.agric.wa.gov.au/objtwr/imported_assets/content/hort/veg/pw/fn2006_viruscucurbits_bcoutts.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141112044744/http://archive.agric.wa.gov.au/objtwr/imported_assets/content/hort/veg/pw/fn2006_viruscucurbits_bcoutts.pdf |archive-date=2014-11-12 |access-date=December 31, 2014 |publisher=Department of Agriculture, Government of Western Australia}}</ref><ref name="roossinck">{{cite journal |last1=Roossinck |first1=Marilyn J. |last2=Palukaitis |first2=Peter |year=1990 |title=Rapid Induction and Severity of Symptoms in Zucchini Squash (''Cucurbita pepo'') Map to RNA 1 of Cucumber Mosaic Virus |url=http://www.apsnet.org/publications/mpmi/backissues/Documents/1990Articles/Microbe03_188.pdf |url-status=live |journal=Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions |volume=3 |issue=3 |pages=188–192 |doi=10.1094/mpmi-3-188 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029191813/http://www.apsnet.org/publications/mpmi/backissues/Documents/1990Articles/Microbe03_188.pdf |archive-date=2013-10-29 |access-date=2013-10-26}}</ref><ref name="havelda">{{cite journal |last1=Havelda |first1=Zoltan |last2=Maule |first2=Andrew J. |date=October 2000 |title=Complex Spatial Responses to Cucumber Mosaic Virus Infection in Susceptible ''Cucurbita pepo'' Cotyledons |journal=Plant Cell |volume=12 |issue=10 |pages=1975–1986 |doi=10.1105/tpc.12.10.1975 |pmc=149134 |pmid=11041891|bibcode=2000PlanC..12.1975H }}</ref><ref name="cornell">{{cite web |date=October 1984 |title=Virus Diseases of Cucurbits |url=http://vegetablemdonline.ppath.cornell.edu/factsheets/Viruses_Cucurbits.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131117083315/http://vegetablemdonline.ppath.cornell.edu/factsheets/Viruses_Cucurbits.htm |archive-date=November 17, 2013 |access-date=October 26, 2013 |publisher=Cornell University}}</ref> PRSV is the only one of these viruses that does not affect all cucurbits.<ref name="farmnote" /><ref name="provvidenti">{{cite journal |last1=Provvidenti |first1=R. |last2=Gonsalves |first2=D. |date=May 1984 |title=Occurrence of Zucchini Yellow Mosaic Virus in Cucurbits from Connecticut, New York, Florida, and California |url=http://www.apsnet.org/publications/PlantDisease/BackIssues/Documents/1984Articles/PlantDisease68n05_443.PDF |url-status=live |journal=Plant Disease |volume=68 |issue=5 |pages=443–446 |doi=10.1094/pd-69-443 |issn=0191-2917 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029185841/http://www.apsnet.org/publications/PlantDisease/BackIssues/Documents/1984Articles/PlantDisease68n05_443.PDF |archive-date=2013-10-29 |access-date=2013-10-26}}</ref> SqMV and CMV are the most common viruses among cucurbits.<ref name="aggie">{{cite web |title=Squash |url=http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/archives/parsons/vegetables/squash.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029200818/http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/archives/parsons/vegetables/squash.html |archive-date=October 29, 2013 |access-date=October 26, 2013 |publisher=Texas A&M University}}</ref><ref name="salma">{{cite journal |last1=Salama |first1=El-Sayed A. |last2=Sill |first2=W. H. Jr. |year=1968 |title=Resistance to Kansas Squash Mosaic Virus Strains Among Cucurbita Species |journal=Transactions of the Kansas Academy of Science |volume=71 |issue=1 |pages=62–68 |doi=10.2307/3627399 |jstor=3627399}}</ref> Symptoms of these viruses show a high degree of similarity, which often results in laboratory investigation being needed to differentiate which one is affecting plants.<ref name="illaces" />