Resistance Inducers Increase Melon Defenses Against Root Rot

Melon is one of the most appreciated and consumed vegetables in the world. However, root diseases result in limited crop production, making it necessary to search for solutions. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effects of biotic and abiotic elicitors controlling root rot and vine decline in melon using two experiments. First, plant beds were set at the Universidade Federal Rural do Semi-Árido, to select the treatments that induced the lowest disease severity. Another experiment was carried out under field conditions on a melon-producing farm. The plant bed experiment consisted of randomized blocks of eight treatments (i.e., salicylic acid, salicylic acid + Compost Aid®, Bion®, Bion® + Compost Aid®, Agro Mos®, Agro Mos® + Compost Aid®, Compost Aid®, and absolute control) with four replicates. The variables analyzed were disease incidence and severity. The same experimental design was used in the field, with five treatments (i.e., standard (management adopted at the farm), Bion®, Compost Aid®, Bion® + Compost Aid®, and absolute control) with four replicates. Epidemiological, biochemical, yield, and post-harvest variables were analyzed. Bion® + Compost Aid® reduced the incidence and severity of melon root rot by 30.4