Vol. 10, Issue 11 (2021)

Cucumber (Cucumis sativus), known as Khira and Sasha, is a creeping vine extensively cultivated in various seasons across India, particularly in the northern regions and throughout mild tropical areas year-round. In the agricultural landscape of India, cucumber production accounted for 1696 metric tonnes in 2018-19, spanning an area of 109,000 hectares.

This study investigated the efficacy of various bioagents against Colletotrichum orbiculare, a prevalent cucumber pathogen. Results demonstrated significant fungistatic/antifungal activities of all evaluated bioagents, notably Trichoderma harzianum exhibiting maximum inhibition of mycelial growth (72.60%). Furthermore, botanical extracts, including Neem leaves (Azadirachta indica), Ginger rhizome (Zingiber officinale), and Garlic bulb (Allium sativum), exhibited potent antifungal properties against C. orbiculare, with Neem leaves extract displaying the highest inhibition (67.41% at 15% concentration).

Additionally, water extracts from various plants were tested for antifungal properties against C. lagenarium, with Garlic bulb extracts showing the highest inhibition (77.73%), followed by Lawsonia inermis (72.97%). These findings underscore the potential of bioagents and botanical extracts as eco-friendly alternatives for managing cucumber diseases, aligning with previous research highlighting the efficacy of Garlic extract in inhibiting fungal growth.