Effects of Microelements on Downy Mildew (Peronospora belbahrii) of Sweet Basil

Abstract

We recently demonstrated that spraying or irrigating with Ca, Mg and K reduces the severity of sweet basil downy mildew (SBDM). Here, the effects of Mn, Zn, Cu and Fe on SBDM were tested in potted plants. The effects of Mn and Zn were also tested under semi-commercial and commercial-like field conditions. Spray applications of a mixture of EDTA-chelated microelements (i.e., Fe-EDTA, Mn-EDTA, Zn-EDTA, Cu-EDTA and Mo) reduces SBDM severity. The application of EDTA chelates of individual microelements (i.e., Fe-EDTA, Mn-EDTA and Zn-EDTA) significantly reduces SBDM in potted plants. Foliar applications of Mn-EDTA and Zn-EDTA are found to be effective under semi-commercial conditions and were, thus, further tested under commercial-like conditions. Under commercial-like conditions, foliar-applied Mn-EDTA and Zn-EDTA decreased SBDM severity by 46–71%. When applied through the irrigation solution, those two microelements reduce SBDM by more than 50%. Combining Mg with Mn-EDTA and Zn-EDTA in the irrigation solution does not provide any additional disease reduction. In the commercial-like field experiment, the microelement-mixture treatment, applied as a spray or via the irrigation solution, was combined with fungicides spray treatments. This combination provides synergistic disease control. The mode of action in this plant–pathogen system may involve features of altered host resistance.