Research Article

Screening of Bottle Gourd Cultivars against Powdery Mildew under Natural Epiphytic Conditions at Tarnab, Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

Sohail Ahmad1, Irshad Ali Khan1*, Sidra Ahmad2, Nayab Ahmad2, Shakoor Wisal3 and Ikram Ullah4

1Department of Agriculture, The University of Swabi, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan; 2Institute of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Faculty of Crop Production Sciences, The University of Agriculture, Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan; 3Dietetics, Bacha Khan University Charsadda, (KP), Pakistan; 4Department of Agriculture, Bacha Khan University Charsadda (KP), Pakistan.

Received | September 22, 2024; Accepted | February 11, 2025; Published | June 30, 2025

*Correspondence | Irshad Ali Khan, Department of Agriculture, The University of Swabi, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan; Email: [email protected]

Citation | Ahmad, S., I.A. Khan, S. Ahmad, N. Ahmad, S. Wisal, and I. Ullah 2025. Screening of bottle gourd cultivars against powdery mildew under natural epiphytic conditions at Tarnab, Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Sarhad Journal of Agriculture, 41(2): 958-961.

DOI | https://dx.doi.org/10.17582/journal.sja/2025/41.2.958.961

Keywords | Bottle gourd, Cultivars, Powdery Mildew, ISC 441, Super B2

Copyright: 2025 by the authors. Licensee ResearchersLinks Ltd, England, UK.

This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

Introduction

Bottle gourd (Lagenaria siceraria) is an important vegetable crop cultivated globally for its nutritional and medicinal value (Upaganlawar and Balaraman, 2009). It is a versatile crop used in various culinary applications and is also known for its medicinal properties in traditional medicine systems. However, bottle gourd production is often hampered by various diseases, among which powdery mildew, caused by the fungal pathogen Podosphaera xanthii, poses a significant threat (Sarkar et al., 2022). Powdery mildew affects various cucurbits, including bottle gourd, and can cause substantial yield losses if not effectively managed. The disease manifests as a white powdery growth on the leaves, stems, and fruits, eventually leading to reduced plant vigor, defoliation, and impaired fruit quality (Gupta et al., 2024; Hossain et al., 2024).

Pakistan, with its diverse agro-ecological zones, is a significant producer of bottle gourd. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, particularly the Tarnab region of Peshawar, is known for its agricultural productivity and contributes significantly to the country’s bottle gourd production. However, the prevalence of powdery mildew in this region poses a challenge to bottle gourd cultivation. The warm and humid climatic conditions of Tarnab provide a favorable environment for the development and spread of powdery mildew, making it crucial to identify and implement effective disease management strategies (Gupta et al., 2024).

One of the most effective and sustainable approaches to managing powdery mildew is the development and cultivation of resistant cultivars. Genetic resistance offers a long-term solution by reducing the reliance on chemical fungicides, which can have adverse environmental and health impacts (Afzaal et al., 2021; Corkley et al., 2022). Screening and identifying bottle gourd cultivars with inherent resistance to powdery mildew is essential for developing integrated disease management strategies. This approach not only minimizes yield losses but also contributes to environmentally friendly agricultural practices (Ahmad et al., 2024a, b).

This study focuses on screening a diverse collection of bottle gourd cultivars for resistance to powdery mildew under the specific agro-climatic conditions of Tarnab, Peshawar. The research aims to identify cultivars that exhibit high levels of resistance to powdery mildew, which can then be utilized in breeding programs or directly recommended to farmers for cultivation in the region. By evaluating the performance of different cultivars under natural field conditions, this study provides valuable insights into the genetic diversity of bottle gourd germplasm and its potential for developing resistant varieties. The findings of this study will contribute to improved bottle gourd production and sustainable disease management practices in the Tarnab region and potentially other areas with similar agro-climatic conditions.

Materials and Methods

This study was conducted in 2019 at the Agriculture Research Institute Tarnab, Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Four bottle gourd cultivars, namely Anokhi, Super B2, C-01, and ISC 441, were evaluated for their resistance to powdery mildew.

Experimental design and planting

The experiment followed a randomized complete block design with three replications. Each cultivar was planted in a separate block, and the blocks were randomly assigned within each replication. Standard agronomic practices for bottle gourd cultivation in the region, including irrigation, fertilization and weeding, were uniformly applied to all experimental plots throughout the growing season (Gupta et al., 2024).

Disease assessment

Powdery mildew severity was assessed using a 0-5 scale adapted from. Disease evaluations were conducted at regular intervals, starting from the initial appearance of powdery mildew symptoms and continuing until the end of the growing season. The disease severity rating scale used is described in Table 1.

Statistical analysis

The collected data on powdery mildew severity were subjected to statistical analysis using SPSS. Analysis of variance was performed to determine the significant differences in disease severity among the bottle gourd cultivars. The level of significance was set at p<0.05.

 

Table 1: Disease severity scale for powdery mildew in bottle gourd.

Ratings	Description
0	No signs of powdery mildew on the foliage
1	A small amount of powdery mildew, dispersed across 1% or less of the leaf surface
2	Small powdery lesions covering 1-10% leaf area
3	Powdery lesions enlarged covering 11-25% of leaf area
4	Powdery lesions coalesce to form big patches covering 26-50% of leaf area
5	Big powdery patches covering 51% or more of leaf area and causing defoliation occur.

 

Results and Discussion

Significant differences in powdery mildew severity were observed among the four bottle gourd cultivars evaluated. Cultivar Super B2 exhibited the highest disease severity (50%), classifying it as susceptible. Anokhi displayed moderate susceptibility with a disease severity of 31.66%. In contrast, cultivar ISC 441 demonstrated a significantly lower disease severity (8.33%), indicating resistance to powdery mildew. Cultivar C-01 also exhibited moderate resistance with a disease severity of 21.66%. These findings highlight the existence of genetic variation for powdery mildew resistance within bottle gourd germplasm. The identification of resistant cultivars like ISC 441 offers valuable resources for breeding programs aimed at developing improved varieties with enhanced disease resistance. Such resistant cultivars can be directly incorporated into breeding schemes or recommended to farmers for cultivation in areas prone to powdery mildew outbreaks (Mashilo et al., 2017).

 

Table 2: Percent disease severity of different long gourd cultivars against powdery mildew.

S. No	Cultivars	Percent disease severity	Host reaction
1	ISC 441	8.333 D*	Resistant
2	C-01	21.667 C	Moderately Resistant
3	Anokhi	31.667 B	Moderately Susceptible
4	Super B2	50.000 A	Susceptible

 

LSD at 0.05= 12.31*Figures followed by different letters are significantly different from each other according to Fisher’s least significant test at P=0.05

 

The observed variation in disease severity among the cultivars as shown in Table 2 aligns with previous research on powdery mildew resistance in bottle gourd. Other studies have also reported varying levels of resistance within Lagenaria siceraria accessions, emphasizing the importance of screening diverse germplasm to identify sources of resistance for breeding purposes (Gupta et al., 2024). The mechanisms governing powdery mildew resistance in bottle gourd are multifaceted and involve a combination of preformed structural and chemical defenses, as well as inducible defense responses activated upon pathogen recognition (Javed et al., 2022; Mounam et al., 2023). These defense mechanisms may include physical barriers like thick cuticles, the presence of antifungal compounds on leaf surfaces, and the production of reactive oxygen species, pathogenesis-related proteins, and phytoalexins (Gupta et al., 2024; Rahman et al., 2022). Further investigation is needed to elucidate the specific mechanisms of resistance operating in the identified resistant cultivars in this study. Exploring the genetic basis of resistance can involve identifying and characterizing genes and proteins associated with resistance, which can then be utilized in marker-assisted selection for efficient breeding. Additionally, understanding the interplay between the host plant and the pathogen at the molecular level can provide insights into the dynamics of disease development and resistance mechanisms.

Conclusions and Recommendations

This study identified significant variation in powdery mildew resistance among four bottle gourd cultivars. ISC 441 demonstrated high resistance, while Super B2 was highly susceptible. These findings confirm the presence of genetic diversity for this trait, offering valuable resources for breeding programs and integrated disease management strategies. The resistant cultivar ISC 441 can be directly utilized by farmers or incorporated into breeding schemes to enhance powdery mildew resistance in other desirable bottle gourd varieties. Further research should investigate the underlying mechanisms of resistance in ISC 441 to facilitate targeted breeding strategies. Field trials across diverse environments are recommended to assess the stability and adaptability of resistant cultivars.

Acknowledgements

The authors express their gratitude to the Agriculture Research Institute in Tarnab, Peshawar, and the Department of Agriculture (Plant Pathology) at the University of Swabi for their collaborative efforts in providing the necessary resources and opportunities for the successful completion of this small-scale research project. The authors also acknowledge the importance of the major and minor supervisors in helping to complete this research.

Novelty Statement

By assessing a range of local and exotic cultivars for their susceptibility and resilience to this prevalent fungal disease, the research aims to provide crucial insights for the development of disease-resistant varieties, enhancing sustainable bottle gourd production in the region. The findings hold significant potential for improving crop yield and reducing dependency on chemical treatments, benefiting local farmers and the broader agricultural community.

Author’s Contribution

Sohail Ahmad: Conceived the idea and wrote the manuscript.

Shakoor Wisal, Sidra Ahmad, Nayab Ahmad, Ikram Ullah, Irshad Ali Khan: Revised the manuscript

All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

Conflict of interest

The authors have declared no conflict of interest.

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