Effects of Agronomic Practices on the Severity of Sweet Basil Downy Mildew (Peronospora belbahrii)

Abstract

Downy mildew (caused by Peronospora belbahrii) is a severe disease of sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum) crops around the world. We examined cultural methods for reducing the severity of sweet basil downy mildew (SBDM) under commercial conditions in greenhouses and walk-in tunnels. The effects of the orientation of walk-in tunnels, air circulation in greenhouses, plant density, and soil mulch were tested. SBDM was less severe in the tunnels that were oriented north-south than in those oriented east-west, but the yields in both types of tunnels were similar. Increased air circulation reduced SBDM severity, but did not affect yield. Gray or transparent polyethylene mulch reduced SBDM severity and, in most cases, increased yield relative to bare soil/growth medium. Yellow polyethylene mulch provided a smaller amount of control. The combination of increased air circulation and yellow polyethylene mulch provided synergistic SBDM control, whereas no synergism was observed when we combined increased air circulation with the other two types of mulch. Planting at half the usual density reduced disease severity. The reduced plant density was associated with reduced yield in the greenhouses, but not in the tunnels. All of the tested methods provided an intermediate level of SBDM control that varied among the different experiments.