EFFICACY OF BOTANICALS AND BIOAGENTS ON GROWTH PARAMETERS OF SPONGE GOURDShiv Kumar Yadav, Ruchi Kumari, Shashi Tiwari and Aravindh Kumar S.Abstract The sponge gourd, Luffa cylindrica (L.) Roem., is a member of the Cucurbitaceae family. Towel gourd, smooth loofah, vegetable sponge, and dishcloth gourd are further names for sponge gourd. The principal locations for Luffa commercial cultivation are China, India, Korea, Japan, and Central America. The young, delicate fruits are eaten as steamed vegetables. The mature, fibrous endocarp, which may be used to scrub with a loofah, is well-liked by customers in the United States, Japan, and Asia. Insect pests and illness cause the sponge gourd to produce at a low rate. Sponge gourds are susceptible to a number of diseases, including Alternaria leaf blight, Cercospora leaf spot, powdery mildew, downy mildew, and anthracnose, the latter of which is shown to be particularly destructive across the states. In this experiment, Trichoderma viride and botanicals were employed, which not only helped to manage the condition but also helped to maintain healthy soil and were not hazardous to the environment. The result of the present experiment revealed that treatment T5 (neem oil + Trichoderma viride @ 2.5 +2.5%) was found effective in growth parameters like plant height, number of leaves, and number of branches |