Chloroacetamide herbicides reduce incidence of Fusarium wilt in melons

Pretreatment of muskmelon seedlings with four chloroacetamide herbicides at 0.1 μg g^-1 reduced the incidence of Fusarium wilt by 22-79%. Acetochlor also induced resistance to Fusarium wilt in watermelon and tomato seedlings inoculated with the appropriate formae speciales. Acetochlor reduced Fusarium wilt in muskmelon seedlings also when applied as a seed treatment [soaking for 5 h in solution (50 μg ml^-1)] and, to a lesser extent, when applied as a foliar spray. In a field trial carried out in a naturally infested soil, acetochlor significantly reduced the incidence of Fusarium wilt in muskmelons cv. En Dor during the first 43 days postemergence. Acetochlor, and possibly other chloroacetamide herbicides, is potentially valuable in disease control.