title: Higher Potassium Concentration in Shoots Reduces Gray Mold in Sweet Basil.
abstract: Nutritional elements can affect plant susceptibility to plant pathogens, including Botrytis cinerea. We tested the effect of potassium (K) fertilization on gray mold in sweet basil grown in pots, containers, and soil. Increased K in the irrigation water and in the sweet basil tissue resulted in an exponential decrease in gray mold severity. Potassium supplied to plants by foliar application resulted in a significant decrease in gray mold in plants grown with a low rate of K fertigation. Lower K fertigation resulted in a significant increase in B. cinerea infection under semi-commercial conditions. Gray mold severity in harvested shoots was significantly negatively correlated with K concentration in the irrigation solution, revealing resistance to B. cinerea infection as a result of high K concentration in sweet basil tissue. Gray mold was reduced following K foliar application of the plants. In general, there was no synergy between the fertigation and foliar spray treatments. Proper K fertilization can replace some of the required chemical fungicide treatments and it may be integrated into gray mold management for improved disease suppression.
authors.affiliation: First and fourth authors: Institute of Soil, Water and Environmental Sciences, Gilat Research Center, Agricultural Research Organization, Israel; and second, third, and fifth authors: Department of Plant Pathology and Weed Research, Agricultural Research Organization, The Volcani Center, Bet Dagan 50250, Israel.
authors.forename: Uri
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Yermiyahu
authors.affiliation: First and fourth authors: Institute of Soil, Water and Environmental Sciences, Gilat Research Center, Agricultural Research Organization, Israel; and second, third, and fifth authors: Department of Plant Pathology and Weed Research, Agricultural Research Organization, The Volcani Center, Bet Dagan 50250, Israel.
authors.forename: Lior
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Israeli
authors.affiliation: First and fourth authors: Institute of Soil, Water and Environmental Sciences, Gilat Research Center, Agricultural Research Organization, Israel; and second, third, and fifth authors: Department of Plant Pathology and Weed Research, Agricultural Research Organization, The Volcani Center, Bet Dagan 50250, Israel.
authors.forename: Dalia Rav
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: David
authors.affiliation: First and fourth authors: Institute of Soil, Water and Environmental Sciences, Gilat Research Center, Agricultural Research Organization, Israel; and second, third, and fifth authors: Department of Plant Pathology and Weed Research, Agricultural Research Organization, The Volcani Center, Bet Dagan 50250, Israel.
authors.forename: Inna
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Faingold
authors.affiliation: First and fourth authors: Institute of Soil, Water and Environmental Sciences, Gilat Research Center, Agricultural Research Organization, Israel; and second, third, and fifth authors: Department of Plant Pathology and Weed Research, Agricultural Research Organization, The Volcani Center, Bet Dagan 50250, Israel.
authors.forename: Yigal
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Elad
mesh_terms: D057914:Agricultural Irrigation; D020171:Botrytis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D002118:Calcium / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D005659:Fungicides, Industrial / Q000494:pharmacology; D018649:Ocimum basilicum / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D018515:Plant Leaves; D011188:Potassium / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D005659:Fungicides, Industrial; D014867:Water; D011188:Potassium; D002118:Calcium
keywords: Ocimum basilicum; calcium