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Basil downy mildew9/8/2023 ![]() ![]() Apply fungicides.Ī preventive program with conventional fungicides is considered necessary to achieve effective control when inoculum is present based on results from replicated fungicide evaluations. Red light was shown to be the most inhibitory under laboratory conditions. Recent research has revealed light exposure is most important during the first 6 hours of night, and the pathogen needs at least 7 hours of darkness. Initial experiments were done with illumination throughout night. Spores formed on leaf tissue shaded by other leaves, thus this procedure is most effective when plants are small. Light was supplied in high tunnel-like structures with 20W Day Light fluorescent bulbs each equipped with a white metal reflector (30 cm diameter), with one bulb per meter row. ![]() Illuminating either leaf surface of plants growing under protected conditions during nighttime was shown to effectively suppress downy mildew in basil by inhibiting spore production through a study conducted in Israel. This prevents water depositing on leaves when humidity is high. Greenhouse fans toward plants so that leaves move. Fanning is a practice developed and being used in Israel for basil grown in protected culture. Set up sensors in the plant canopy to monitor humidity to ensure that the practices being implemented are sufficient. Base heating is an especially effective method to reduce humidity. Wide plant spacing, circulating fans, lights, and increasing temperature. Practices to achieve this include base watering, This disease can be controlled effectively by keeping humidity low. The basil downy mildew pathogen needs humidity of at least 85% in the plant canopy to be able to infect. Avoid favorable environmental conditions for disease development. Results and photographs from variety evaluations conducted at Cornell are available on-line at. Emma and Everleaf (aka Basil Pesto Party and M4828Z) also have moderate resistance. Limited suppression is typical with Eleonora, the first commercially available resistant variety. Prospera is being marketed as organic seed by Johnny’s Selected Seeds.Īmazel is a Proven Winners variety, its seed is sterile and thus sold as cuttings. They are marketed by VDF Specialty Seeds. It can take many crosses to obtain a plant with resistance plus all the desired horticultural traits that are in a susceptible variety, which include for sweet basil large, smooth, dark green, downward cupped leaves with good classic sweet basil flavor.ĭevotion, Obsession, Passion, and Thunderstruck are the first resistant varieties released from the Rutgers University basil breeding program. They are the fruition of several years of conventional breeding by breeders working separately on this goal. Good suppression of downy mildew can be obtained with new resistant varieties that started to be marketed in 2018. One company known to offer steam treatment is High Mowing Organic Seeds. Basil seed is not amenable to hot-water treatment because while in water the seed produces a gelatinous exudate, which makes the seed challenging to handle. Seed companies are starting to steam treat basil seed. It is sufficient to test only at the genus level with this pathogen since it is the only species of that would be associated with basil seed. There may be other companies that offer testing. Start with pathogen-free seed.Įurofins STA Laboratories in Colorado now tests basil seed for Peronospora spp. Using multiple strategies listed below is recommended. Below are some tips for management, an integrated approach Regular occurrence of this devastating disease has clearlyĭocumented that management is needed to ensure a marketableĬrop. Throughout most of the USA, affecting plants grown outdoors at farmsĪnd in gardens as well as in greenhouses every year. Downy mildew continues to be the most important disease of basil ![]()
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