What's eating my chayote?

Chayote (Sechium edule) is a vigorous cucurbit vine and is generally hardier than most gourds, but aphids, cucumber beetles, and squash bugs regularly attack the foliage and fruit. In tropical and subtropical regions where it is most widely grown, fruit flies are a significant problem. Root-knot nematodes can stunt growth in warm sandy soils over successive seasons.

Colonies on shoot tips; honeydew, sooty mould, and mosaic virus transmission reducing fruit quality Strong water jet; insecticidal soap or neem oil; mulch with reflective film to deter winged aphids

Chewing damage to flowers and leaves; bacterial wilt vectoring in susceptible plantings Row cover until bloom; kaolin clay application; yellow sticky traps; remove wilted vines promptly

Brown wilted patches on leaves; egg masses on leaf undersides; sap loss weakens vines Crush egg masses on sight; hand-pick adults early morning; neem oil; trap boards overnight

Galls on roots; stunted, yellowing vines; reduced vigour and fruit set over successive seasons Crop rotation; solarise soil before planting; incorporate organic matter; use marigold (Tagetes) interplant as bio-fumigant