Role of organic matter in controlling some soil-borne and foliage diseases of cucumber

Adding composting chicken or cow manure to highly infested soil led to significantly reduction in pre and post-emergence damping off disease caused by Fusarium solani Mart. (Sacc.;) Rhizoctoni solani Kukn and Sclerotium rolfesii Sacc. Positive correlation between amount of added organic matter and number of survival cucumber plants were detected. Farm compost was more effective in controlling soil borne pathogen than the other two types of compost without any significant differences. Powdery and downy mildews diseases were also depressed when cucumber plants were sprayed with composted organic matter filtrates. No significant differences were detected between different organic compost regarding percentage of disease incidence or severity. Positive correlation was detected between concentration of compost filtrate and efficacy of the treatments. Cucumber plants received one spray every week were more healthy than those received the same treatment every two or three weeks. Cucumber plants start receiving spray at four weeks old either by cow or chicken compost filtrate showed more resistance against powdery and downy mildews disease compared with plants start receive spraying at five or six weeks old. Treatments increased the number of fruits as well as fruits weight (kg)/plants.