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The effect of nitrogen and NH4+ fertilization on Peronospora belbahrii downy mildew of sweet basil

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Abstract

Downy mildew (Peronospora belbahrii) is a severe disease in sweet basil. The aim of the present research was to study the effect of total nitrogen (N) concentration and NH4+ partial concentration in sweet basil fertigation on sweet basil downy mildew (SBDM). The study was conducted under controlled conditions, semi-commercial conditions, and commercial-like (field) conditions. Increasing the total N concentration in the irrigation water from 1.1 to 10.7 mM resulted in a gradual increase in N concentration in the shoots, and SBDM severity in potted sweet basil plants. Similarly, under commercial-like greenhouse conditions, higher N in the irrigation water resulted in higher SBDM severity. A high rate of 30–40% of the total N of NH4+ in the irrigation water, was associated with lower SBDM severity. Mineral concentration in the shoots of sweet basil was measured in all greenhouse plots. Shoot concentrations of N, P, K, and Ca were positively correlated with SBDM severity, while shoot concentrations of Mg and Cl negatively correlated with disease severity. In conclusion, N fertigation affected SBDM severity. We suggest that the effect of N fertigation on disease may be due to the change in N concentration in the tissue, or the change in other nutritional element (s).

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Data availability

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the following for their support and assistance during the course of this work: Israeli Chief Scientist Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Development (grant #132-1702); Fertilizers and Chemicals Ltd (Haifa, Israel), for preparing and supplying nutrient solutions used in this study; Ran Shulkhani, Ina Finegold, Menachem Borenshtein and Ben Lahav (Agricultural Research Organization); and Ziva Gilad, Efraim Tzipelevitch and Achiam Meir (Tzevi Experimental Station).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department Plant Pathology and Weed Research, Agricultural Research Organization, The Volcani Institute, 68 Hamakabim Rd, Rishon LeZion 7534509, Israel

    Yigal Elad, Ziv Nisan & Dalia Rav-David

  2. Tzevi Research Station, Bikeat HaYarden Research and Development, 91906, M. P. Bikeat HaYarden, Israel

    Ziv Nisan & Ziv Kleinman

  3. Agricultural Research Organization, Gilat Research Center, D.N. Negev 2, 85280, Rishon LeZion, Israel

    Uri Yermiyahu

  4. The Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel

    Ziv Nisan

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  1. Yigal Elad
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  2. Ziv Nisan
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  4. Dalia Rav-David
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Correspondence to Yigal Elad.

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Elad, Y., Nisan, Z., Kleinman, Z. et al. The effect of nitrogen and NH4+ fertilization on Peronospora belbahrii downy mildew of sweet basil. Phytoparasitica 49, 1013–1026 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12600-021-00922-y

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