The Emerging Viruses in Cucurbits Working Group (EVCWG) is charged with improving communication and virus knowledge across the cucurbit industry as well as developing strategies to successfully identify and mitigate virus threats to cucurbit production in the United States. The EVCWG was established with support from the cucurbit industry and funding from the Southern IPM Center. It includes members from all sectors of the cucurbit industry (academia, government, and private industry) involved with research, production, Extension/outreach, and regulation who represent various areas of expertise, geographic locations, and connections within the United States, as well as international members who can contribute their expertise to assist with identification and development of effective mitigation approaches for viruses that have not yet been introduced or become established in the United States.

The EVCWG will identify and prioritize potential risk factors for viruses affecting cucurbits, known and potential virus threats, mitigation strategies for these viruses, and methods to reduce virus threats and will determine the best approaches to address these issues. Members will work to increase knowledge and awareness of virus threats among members of the cucurbit industry through the delivery of educational presentations and the development of educational resources that will be posted to the EVCWG website (www.eCucurbitviruses.org). Through these activities and resources, the EVCWG will improve awareness, identification, and management of existing and new viruses across the cucurbit industry in the United States that will ultimately help to decrease virus introduction/spread and associated yield losses and lead to improved stability and profitability within the cucurbit industry.