Check Your Cucumber Plants for Anthracnose

I was just out looking at my cucumber plants this morning at my home in central Arkansas after being gone for a few days and found signs of anthracnose on the leaves. This is a pretty nasty disease that is kinda common w/ cucumbers (especially in the mid-south). This disease can really cut yields if you do not get it under control quickly. I’ve actually dealt with it 5 or 6 years ago and eventually just pulled my plants up and brought all new soil in for my beds.

I think that I might have a decent chance of salvaging my cucumber crop this year because I went in and removed about 60% of the foliation on the plants that showed signs or felt crumbly in my hands. I then treated with copper fungicide as well as a custom recipe of fungicides that I put together containing Tebuconazole, Azoxystrobin, and Propiconazole (3 products we use in row crop agriculture).

Here’s a little more information if you are interested…

Anthracnose is a common fungal disease in cucumbers, causing lesions on leaves, stems, and fruits. The disease, caused by Colletotrichum orbiculare, thrives in warm, wet conditions and can lead to significant yield loss if not managed.