Dear herb growers, Basil is one of the major herbs grown in Kenya but is susceptible to attacks by fungus like pathogen, peronospora belbahril. Both culinary and ornamental basil can be hosts to the pathogen. Basil downy mildew can affect the leaves, stem and braches of many types of basil.
The spores are usually dispersed by wind and splashing of water. Spores germinate mostly at night on wet leaves at temperatures of 41- 830F within two hours and infect the plant tissue within 4hrs.
Symptoms
The main symptom is leaf curling and yellowing on the upper leaf surface that is restricted to the veins followed by death of the leaf. The sporulation is mostly visible during wet or humid weather and prolonged leaf wetness. It is usually purplish brown to grey in appearance on the underside of the leaves.
Management practices
Cultural control
- Proper spacing to promote good air circulation
- Minimize overhead irrigation during weather that favors this condition.
- Use fans to reduce humidity in greenhouses
- Plant resistant or tolerant varieties to downy mildew.
Chemical control
- Biodistinction Extra 1L/Ha
- Greenphite 4L/Ha
- Bouncer gold 6L/ Ha
- Chancetyl elite 800WDG 3kg/ Ha
CHANCETYL ELITE® 800WDG is an excellent broad spectrum systemic fungicide with preventive and curative actions on a wide range of diseases on agricultural crops like Downy mildew on Roses, Capsicum, Squash, Cabbages and Snow peas, Ring spots on Carnations and Damping off on French beans.
