Biological control of root and stem rot of greenhouse cucumber, caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. radicis-cucumerinum, by lettuce soil amendment

Lettuce (Lactuca sativa) incorporation into soil, was investigated as an allelopathic control method against root and stem rot disease of cucumber (Cucumis sativus), caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. radicis-cucumerinum. In pathogen-inoculated soils, lettuce incorporation significantly decreased disease incidence while increasing total cucumber yield, up through the fourth month of the season. Non-inoculated soils sustained, in all cases, higher cucumber yields irrespective of lettuce addition. Our results showed that lettuce incorporation into soil could be combined with other control methods against root and stem rot of cucumber in an integrated disease management system.