For at least the past two seasons, central and southwest Florida have experienced problems with watermelon vine decline late in the crop cycle approaching harvest. Symptoms include wilting in the plant, scorched leaves, defoliation and rapid vine collapse on maturing vines. Frequently, fruit were observed with greasy, necrotic lesions on the interior portion of the rind that rendered the fruit non-marketable. Disease incidence (dead plants) sometimes reached 100% in affected fields and the problem was widely present in scattered locations. Investigations to date have been inconclusive for identifying a cause. No pathogen was consistently associated with the symptoms nor were any cultural or environmental factors identified as the cause. Some factors considered included high water tables, early in the season, that restricted root system development to the extent that vines were unable to cope with rapid changes in water table, combined with warm weather and high evapotranspiration rates; a new race or change in virulence of Fusarium wilt, a soil-borne pathogen; residual herbicide damage; and fertilizer burn. Under the leadership of Dr. Pam Roberts at SWFREC-Immokalee, additional resources have been secured to address this problem if or when it appears during this season. If you see this problem, please notify your County Extension Office or plant disease clinic immediately, so that we can begin efforts to pinpoint a cause by collecting samples and information. A significant number of melons have been lost to this problem, and early identification and action will hopefully be a key factor in determining a cause and solution.