Cucurbits are economically important vegetable crops throughout the world, and Fusarium wilt disease caused by Fusarium oxysporum has become the major limiting factor in the cucurbit production. The disease causes serious economic losses to the crop and infects at all stages of plant growth. Due to the soil-borne nature of the pathogen, its management is quite difficult. Although there are several management practices available for Fusarium wilt disease, but biological control offers a safe and environmental friendly management of the disease. Association of biological control agents with the plants stimulate plant defense mechanisms and causes induction of systemic acquired resistance (SAR) as well as induced systemic resistance (ISR) in the plants. Due to its several benefits, there is an increasing demand for biologically based management practices specially for soil-borne diseases like Fusarium wilt disease of cucurbits.
Biological Control, Fusarium Wilt, Cucurbits
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