March 2023
Basil Downy Mildew Research Results – Long Island
Meg McGrath, Long Island Horticultural Research & Extension Center, mtm3@cornell.edu: Major findings from two experiments conducted on field-grown sweet basil at LIHREC in 2022 are: Resistant Varieties. All provided very good to exceptional control of downy mildew. As usual, downy mildew quickly became very severe on the susceptible variety (DiGenova). The Prospera commercial varieties and the experimentals with...
New Basil Downy Mildew Race 1 in NY in 2022
Meg McGrath, Long Island Horticultural Research & Extension Center, mtm3@cornell.edu: Plants of downy mildew resistant sweet basil variety Prospera severely affected by downy mildew were observed in a commercial greenhouse planting in Suffolk County, NY, in fall 2022. Seed of Prospera and DiGenova were sown in our laboratory at LIHREC. Seedlings of both varieties inoculated with spores...
February 2022
Basil Downy Mildew Research Results
Basil Downy Mildew Research Results February 1, 2022 Meg McGrath, Long Island Horticultural Research & Extension Center, mtm3@cornell.edu: Major findings from three experiments conducted on field-grown sweet basil at LIHREC in 2021 are: No to very few symptoms or signs of downy mildew were found on plants of Pesto Besto (Proven Winners) and several varieties of Prospera (Genesis Seeds), while...
August 2021
Basil Downy Mildew Developing on Resistant Varieties
August 7, 2021 Meg McGrath, Long Island Horticultural Research & Extension Center, mtm3@cornell.edu: A few growers have reported this season seeing downy mildew starting to develop earlier on resistant basil varieties and becoming more severe than in the past. The varieties are Rutgers Devotion DMR, Rutgers Obsession DMR, and Prospera. This suggests the pathogen has evolved to overcome...
June 2021
Basil Downy Mildew update: First reports in the north are on garden plants
June 29, 2021 Meg McGrath, Long Island Horticultural Research & Extension Center, mtm3@cornell.edu: Downy mildew on basil plants for retail sale at garden centers was reported during June in NJ, NY (Long Island), MA, ME, SC, and WI. This disease was also reported on basil in gardens in DE and NJ. For information about the garden center reports,...