MOLECULAR CHARACTERIZATION AND PHYTOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS OF FUNGI DISEASES OF CUCUMBER AND ITS TREATMENT USING ETHANOLIC EXTRACT OF Vernonia amygdalina (BITTER LEAF) AND Ocimum gratissimum (SCENT LEAF)

Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) is one of the most important economic vegetable crops all over the world. It is cultivated in open fields and protected houses in Egypt for both local consumption and export. The occurrence of fungal spoilage of fruits is recognized as a potential health hazard to man due to their production of mycotoxins. In general, cucumbers are susceptible to different diseases: mostly fungal and viral infections. The most common cucumber diseases include powdery mildew, bacterial wilt, cucumber mosaic, downy mildew and fusarium wilt. Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cucumerinum (F.O.C) is the most common pathogen on cucumber plants causing Fusarium wilt on cucumber and reduced the yield. The leaves of scent leaf (Ocimum gratissimum) and bitter leaf (Vernonia amygdalina) were obtained in and around Ozoro environ, cucumber tubers were purchased at Ozoro markets and the work was done in the Department of Science Labouratory Technology, Ozoro Polytechnic. The leaves of scent leaf and bitter leaf were air dried for 7 days using mortal and pestle. 20g of the samples were measured (weighed) into a 250ml conical flask and were soaked in 70% ethanol. This was left to stand overnights for 72 hours, and then shook for sometime. This content was filtered twice using a cheese cloth and funnel and collected in a round bottom flask. Vernonia amygdalina and Occimum gratissimum leaf extracts can control and reduce the growth of fungi disease in Cucumis sativus (cucumber). This serves as an alternative means of reducing and controlling in Cucumis sativus. Moreso that they are effective, readily available, cheap and eco-friendly.