[MPWG] basil

[Kathy Schlosser]

Thank you Katrinka.   Good to have knowledgeable input from The Herb Society
of America!
Kathy

-----Original Message-----
From: Katrinka Morgan [mailto:director at herbsociety.org] 
Sent: Monday, January 14, 2008 11:53 AM
To: Lucy Pongetti
Cc: Kathy Schlosser; mpwg at lists.plantconservation.org; Anne Abbott; Rexford
Talbert; Gloria McClure; Moore, Christine
Subject: Re: [MPWG] basil

Please find below the response from Jeanne Peters-along with a pdf
attachment from her.

I don't have much additional information to add about fusarium wilt and
basil. I do know that fusarium wilt is a major problem for many crops
including basil and there are not many ways to control it other than
developing resistant varieties though a non-pathogenic strain of fusarium
CS-20 reduced losses due to fusarium wilt in basil (Reduction of fusarium
wilt of hydroponically grown basil by Fusarium oxysporum strain CS-20 D. R.
Fravel, , and R. P. Larkin, 2002, Crop Protection, 21:539-5453).

The fatty acid (nonanoic acid) and the Trichoderma strain that I am working
with did not inhibit fusarium growth in plate assays unfortunately. I am
sending you a link about a sweet basil variety that is fusarium tolerant
from the University of Hawaii. Also, there is a professor in my dept. that
is working on developing a sweet basil variety called "Pop Joes" that is
fusarium tolerant. I don't know if it has been released yet. Actually, I had
tried to do some Pythium infections with "Pop Joes" last year and found that
it was resistant to Pythium whereas the Genovese variety is not resistant to
Pythium.

Hope this helps,

Katrinka

Lucy Pongetti wrote:
>
> Yes, thank you.
>
> Lucy Pongetti
> Grants Coordinator
> City of Bonita Springs
> 9101 Bonita Beach Road
> Bonita Springs, FL 34135
> 239-949-6262
> email: lucy.pongetti at cityofbonitasprings.org
> <mailto:lucy.pongetti at cityofbonitasprings.org>
> "The greatest achievements were at first and for a time dreams. The 
> oak sleeps in the acorn." James Allen
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> --
>
> *From:* E. Steve Schlosser, Jr. [mailto:eschlosserjr at triad.rr.com] *On 
> Behalf Of *Kathy Schlosser
> *Sent:* Monday, January 14, 2008 8:33 AM
> *To:* Lucy Pongetti; mpwg at lists.plantconservation.org
> *Cc:* director at herbsociety.org; 'Anne Abbott'; 'Rexford Talbert'; 
> 'Gloria McClure'; 'Moore, Christine'
> *Subject:* RE: [MPWG] basil
>
> Could this be the disease you are referencing?
>
> Kathy Schlosser
>
> "A devastating basil wilt disease caused by a soilborne pathogenic 
> fungus, /Fusarium oxysporum/ /f. sp/. /basilicum/, was first 
> discovered in the U.S. in 1991 and identified in N.C. in 1992. Plants 
> infected with this disease usually grow normally until they are six to 
> twelve inches tall, then they become stunted and suddenly wilt.
> Initial symptoms usually include brown streaks on the stems, 
> discoloration of the internal stem tissue, and sudden leaf drop.
> Interestingly, only sweet basil is affected. Some of the specialty 
> basils, such as lemon basil and purple basil, show some resistance to 
> the disease.
>
> The disease is introduced into fields, hydroponic systems, and 
> greenhouse culture primarily through contaminated seed. Growers should 
> only buy basil seed that has been tested for the fusarium wilt fungus.
> Currently, these tests involve growing out a large number of seed and 
> looking for disease symptoms. This does not guarantee that the seed 
> will be free of infection, but it greatly reduces the risk. If it is 
> not possible to obtain tested seed, the seed should be soaked in cold 
> water for four hours followed by a heat treatment of 20 minutes in
> 133-136 degree F water. Seed germination rates will probably be 
> reduced by the hot water treatment, so a germination test should be 
> conducted on a small lot of the treated seed to determine how much 
> seeding rates need to be adjusted. Also, the hot water treatment 
> causes a sticky layer to develop on the outer surface of seed making 
> it difficult to handle.
>
> Once a field has become infested with the fusarium wilt pathogen, 
> infective propagules may persist in the soil for 8-12 years. During 
> that time, growers should avoid growing sweet basil or members of the 
> mint family. Mints will not exhibit symptoms of the disease but may 
> carry over the inoculum from year to year. There are currently no 
> products registered to help control this disease."
>
> Source: Jeanine M. Davis
>
> Extension Horticultural Specialist
>
> Department of HorticulturalScience
>
> North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service
>
> North Carolina State University (1997)
>
> *From:* mpwg-bounces at lists.plantconservation.org
> [mailto:mpwg-bounces at lists.plantconservation.org] *On Behalf Of *Lucy 
> Pongetti
> *Sent:* Monday, January 14, 2008 8:15 AM
> *To:* mpwg at lists.plantconservation.org
> *Subject:* [MPWG] basil
>
> I heard that basil crops around the world are infected with a fungus 
> that has no cure - what is the real story?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Lucy Pongetti
> Grants Coordinator
> City of Bonita Springs
> 9101 Bonita Beach Road
> Bonita Springs, FL 34135
> 239-949-6262
> email: lucy.pongetti at cityofbonitasprings.org
> <mailto:lucy.pongetti at cityofbonitasprings.org>
> "The greatest achievements were at first and for a time dreams. The 
> oak sleeps in the acorn." James Allen
>


-- 
Katrinka D. Morgan
Executive Director
Herb Society of America
www.herbsociety.org

Telephone: 440-256-0514
Fax: 440-256-0541