The present research describes the symptoms of infection of Cladosporium tenuissimum on cucumber fruits. This infection induced formation of numerous small circular swellings (3.3 mm diameter by 1.8 mm high) on the surface of infected fruits rendering them unfit for marketing purposes. No previous description of these symptoms on cucumber fruits has been reported. Results obtained on susceptibility of the locally common-cultivated cucumber cultivars to the infection indicated significant differences in cultivar susceptibility. Cultivar Nour was the most susceptible whereas Rocket and Ringo were the least susceptible. Other tested cultivars were intermediate. Treatment of the infection on cultivar Nour with fungicides indicated significant reduction in number of C. tenuissimum swellings per cm2 of infected fruit surface in comparison with the untreated control. Score® (difenoconazole) applied at a rate of 0.35 % v/v and Merpan® (captan) applied at a rate of 0.35 % w/v demonstrated as the most effective among tested fungicides with 83 % to 86 % reduction in the number of disease swellings relative to the control.

European Journal of Plant Pathology, Volume 110, Number 10 / December, 2004