*WE MUST RECEIVE A NEWLY SIGNED RELEASE EACH YEAR PRIOR TO SHIPPING ANY WATERMELON SEEDS*

AN IMPORTANT MESSAGE ABOUT
BACTERIAL FRUIT BLOTCH OF WATERMELONS

Since its initial detection in 1989, Bacterial Fruit Blotch has been a major concern of watermelon seed suppliers and watermelon growers. In 1994, the United States had confirmed cases of Bacterial Fruit Blotch in at least eleven states. The severity of the cases ranged from minimal losses in some fields to complete losses of other fields.

The causal organism of Bacterial Fruit Blotch is Acidovorax Avenae Subs Citrulli. This bacteria may be seed borne, but infection may also occur from many types of secondary sources before or after planting. The most pronounced spread of Bacterial Fruit Blotch occurs in greenhouses, where optimal conditions for the spread of the disease occur.

In young seedlings, the disease can cause water soaked lesions to appear on the leaves of the plant, and in some cases on the stem as well. They will change, turn nektonic with yellow halos around the necrosis, possibly appearing on the leaves during any stage of plant growth. However, the real damage from this disease occurs after fruit set, when these lesions appear on the fruit. The fruit will begin to decay and make it unmarketable.

While Bacterial Fruit Blotch can be a devastating disease, early detection can help minimize losses. Research has shown that the early detection of the disease, followed with timely applications of copper based fungicides, can greatly reduce the spread and subsequent damage caused by the disease.

The currently accepted method of testing seed lots for the presence of the Bacterial Fruit Blotch bacteria is through grow out tests or a representative sample, where seeds are actually grown in a greenhouse under simulated ideal conditions for the occurrence of the disease. Regretfully, even if the test is accurate, this really only tells you if the seeds tested had the disease. The seed industry is currently funding extensive research by state extension, federal and private researchers to develop a non-destructive test for the bacteria so that entire seed lots may be tested to provide a maximum level of safety.

There are many known possible sources for secondary contamination of watermelon seedlings. There is a wide variety of alternate host plants (including wild citron, cantaloupe, eggplant and many others) which once exposed, can transmit the bacteria and provide for the spread of the disease. The bacteria can over winter in diseased fields on organic matter and may be transmitted from field to field by equipment. With the widespread occurrence of Bacterial Fruit Blotch in the U.S. the last few years, the disease will become endemic, or naturally occurring (much like Powdery Mildew and Anthracnose), in the near future, if it has not already done so.

Regretfully, there is no foolproof way to insure that seeds are not contaminated with the Bacterial Fruit Blotch bacteria, and even if seeds are clean, no way to insure that you will not develop the disease from a secondary source. Willhite Seed Inc. will do its best to provide clean seeds, but we cannot and do not guarantee our seeds to be free of the Bacterial Fruit Blotch bacteria. By buying and planting our seeds, you accept that the seeds may contain the Bacterial Fruit Blotch bacteria, and release Willhite Seed Inc. and all of its agents from any actions related to Bacterial Fruit Blotch.

*PLEASE FILL OUT THE LEGAL RELEASE FORM AND FAX IN AFTER PLACING YOUR ONLINE ORDER. WILLHITE SEED INC. WILL NOT BE ABLE TO FULFILL ANY ORDERS FOR WATERMELON SEED WITHOUT THIS FORM.