Chemical control involves application of registered fungicides at the first sign of infection. Fields under sprinkler irrigation should be watered in the early morning to give foliage a chance to dry before evening. Bacterial wilt is spread by both the striped and spotted cucumber beetles that feed on young seedling pumpkins. The first symptoms are dull green patches that appear on leaves that show feeding wound damage. Individual leaves eventually wilt, followed by vines, then the entire plant.
Symptoms can also include extensive blossoming and branching on dwarfed plants.
Stems cut with a knife secrete a thick white liquid when squeezed. Treat cucumber beetles with an appropriate insecticide. Irregular yellow spots on foliage eventually turn brown and spots on pumpkins will eventually turn black as the fungus penetrates the fruit, causing a dry rot. Elongated streaks on infected stems may produce an amber, gummy liquid. Because the fungus survives in infected seed, control involves planting clean seed.