SQUASH

Introduction

In the gourd family (Cucurbitaceae), the squash genus (Cucurbita)

contains flowering plants, many of which are widely cultivated as

vegetables and for use as cattle feed. Squashes are indigenous to the

New World, where they were grown by locals long before the arrival of

the Europeans. The seeds and blooms of edible species can also be

cooked and consumed, as can the fruit, which is typically served as a

cooked vegetable. Herbaceous annual plants with the morphology of a

bush or a trailing vine, squash plants are herbaceous. Large, lobed leaves

are typical of vines, as are lengthy vines that may climb by clinging to

surfaces with their tendrils. Compared to expansive vine forms, bushes

typically occupy less space and can have spiky leaves. Green, white, or

yellow fruit with smooth or ridged skin is produced by squash plants

together with yellow or orange blossoms.

Uses

Squash fruit can be cooked and eaten as a vegetable. Some

varieties are grown as ornamentals.

Common Pests and Diseases

Symptoms; yellow-brown spots with a yellow or green halo which first

appear on the oldest leaves, yellowing on the entire leaf.

Cause; nitrogen deficiency

Solution; apply fertilizer, use the right fertilizer for the right growing stage of

the pumpkin vine.

Symptoms; large or small holes in leaves and wilting

Cause; pumpkin beetle (Aulacophora foveicollis)

Solution; spray or release natural enemies like predators and

entomopathogenic fungi.
Insect collected; yellow butterfly, pumpkin beetle, greater wax moth,

arachnids, grasshoppers,

Documentation