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Basil downy mildew in USA, Identification, causes, prevention, and Treatment

Though the Basil plant is a natural medicine plant, chewing it directly may taste sour.

Basil plant has many health benefits other than its medicinal advantages. 

It can expand even with a single plant of its seeds. In cold regions, basil can grow without regular irrigation but too low temperatures of soil and air are not suitable for basil plants outdoors. 

Basil downy mildew removal in the USA

Considering downy mildew a kind of fungus is not the right identification of it. It is a water mold on plants that appear because of highly wet conditions.

Basil downy mildew in USA

Let's understand more about it and how to prevent it for your basil plants and leaves in the garden.

What does it look like(identification)?

Basil's leaves appear on the front, side, and backside of the leaves. The color of these spots looks black, grey, and purple color according to its invading stages on leaves. 

In later stages, leaves get brownish and yellowish when it covers the entire leave.

Human touch is almost the same on this water mold downy mildew. Though sometimes it feels more smooth and soft with whole leaves during human touch.

Downy mildew affects many ornamental and edible plants like grapevine, lettuce, onion, peas, snapdragon, pansy, sunflowers, etc.

Causes of Basil Downey Mildew

This disease does not develop because of any side effect of pests or reaction of chemicals, the main reason behind it is climate conditions. In warm conditions, it grows without any disease but wet conditions are the most certain cause of water mold on it. This disease is more harmful to plants than powdery mildew. 

Following are some of the causes of basil downy mildew- 

  • Too cold climate and high humidity

In cold regions, too cold climates and high humidity create the most awkward conditions for basil plants. In these wet conditions, basil leaves get such black and violet color pigments on the leaves as they are water molds. 

  • Overirrigation and wet soil

Apart from natural wet conditions, if you over-irrigate and let the soil wet in cold conditions, it can also cause this disease. 

In warm weather conditions, over-irrigation doesn't matter too much but in winter, over-irrigation and no drainage can cause your basil leaves downy mildew. 

  • Interaction with infected plants 

If neighbor plants are affected with the same disease then it can be a reason that your other plants may get infected with such diseases. 

Letting your basil plants grow with such plants can cause your other basil plants too.

  • Infected seeds

In many cases, it is seen that basil seeds can get infected and transmit the downy mildew disease further. Though it is not certain that affected plant seeds will transmit mildew but still, there are chances that your basil plants will have this disease because of such seeds. 

Ideal cause of basil downy mildew

Although minimum conditions are enough for it but still, in ideal conditions, it can cover the leaves quicker and unavoidably. In low-temperature regions, high humidity, rain, fog, and due, outdoor basil leaves cause downy mildew disease faster. 

Lower than 8 degrees Celcius, above 60% humidity, and due at night are the ideal conditions for this disease. 

All these conditions wet the soil and decrease the soil temperature very low. Thus, it transforms and appears on leaves.

Is it safe to consume basil leaves with downy mildew?

There is no recorded data about downy mildew-affected basil being poisonous to humans. Many people consume them without caring but those who have allergies may get effects from them in the throat or the stomach.    

Still, we can say that it is not poisonous but better to consume the least affected leaves.

Preventions to avoid Basil downy mildew

Preventing downy mildew conditions for basil leaves is more effective than its treatment. 

Following are the essential steps you can take to avoid and prevent basil downy mildew- 

  • Shift your unaffected basil plants 

It will not be helpful just to remove affected basil leaves from the plants. Better to save the rest of the unaffected plants. 

So leave the area either in your garden or lawn, where this disease affected the basil plants. 

Shift all the other plants in more bright and sunlight places. If you can shift them in more warm conditions then it will save the rest of the plants. 

  • Use drip irrigation and drainage

Using drip irrigation instead of direct irrigation may provide your plants with less wet conditions irrigation. If you maintain the drainage in your pots or garden then you can increase the chances of avoiding downy mildew. 

Although drip irrigation is slightly costlier than sprinkler irrigation, it can provide your garden with more suitable and healthy irrigation.  

  • Use greenhouse

In too cold and wet regions, it is always better to make a small low budget greenhouse to winterize your garden plants. It will help to save the basil leaves and reduce the wet conditions inside the greenhouse. 

The greenhouse is very helpful to avoid downy mildew as it can reduce the wet conditions but still, drainage with the greenhouse or in pots is necessary to completely prevent this disease. 

Treatment of Basil Downy mildew

There is no certain treatment of basil downy mildew in the garden. The reason is simple it is not a fungus or any pest attack. It is simply the side-effect of a wet climate and cold soil temperature. So what options do we have?

Simply, in such cases, we should better accept prevention and avoid methods. These are slow processes but more effective than the treatment of basil downy mildew. 

If you still have any doubt about the treatment of such diseases then you should aware of the basic principle of treating such diseases. 

If there is no known treatment for a disease then we avoid the ideal causes and conditions for the disease. 

Does Downy mildew affect other plants?

If a basil plant leaves have downy mildew then generally we shift them to a new place where the conditions are least favoring for mildew. 

Though we can't reverse the process we can restrict this and prevent the scenario. 

Now, what if we keep the affected plants with other plants either with basil or with other garden plants? In such cases, we have to admit that if you keep an infected plant with others, other basil plants will also get the same downy mildew not just because of the already mildew-affected plant but because of the climate conditions. 

In the case of other plants, it depends on their nature and growing conditions. If they can handle the same moisture and atmospheric conditions, then they will be unaffected. But if they are not then they may get similar kinds of diseases.

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