Basil Publications and Patents
Publications
2025
Allen, K.S., Delulio, G.A., Pyne, R., Maman, J., Guo, L., Lyon, R., Johnson, E.T., Wick, R.L., Simon, J.E., Gershenson, A. and Ma, L.J. (2025) Identification of novel basil downy mildew resistance genes using de novo comparative transcriptomics. Phytopathology, 115(7), pp. 757–770. https://doi.org/10.1094/PHYTO-11-24-0369-R
Ben Naim, Y., Mattera, R., Cohen, Y. et al. Predicting the resistance of basil entries to downy mildew based on their genetics, pathogen race, growth stage, and environmental conditions. Planta 262, 10 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00425-025-04703-3
Brindisi, L.J., O’Brien, R., Hayes, B.K., Kotwal, S., Wu, Q., Simon, J.E. and Tepper, B.J. (2025) Relationship between sensory perceptions and volatile and phenolic compounds of fresh basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) evaluated by multivariate statistics. Journal of Food Science, 90, e70194. https://doi.org/10.1111/1750-3841.70194
2024
Brindisi, L.J., Mattera, R., Mudiyala, S., Honig, J. and Simon, J.E. (2024) Genetic linkage mapping and quantitative trait locus (QTL) analysis of sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) to identify genomic regions associated with cold tolerance and major volatiles. PLoS ONE, 19(4). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0299825
2023
Brindisi, L.J. and Simon, J.E. (2023) Preharvest and postharvest techniques that optimize the shelf life of fresh basil (Ocimum basilicum L.): a review. Frontiers in Plant Science, 14. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2023.1237577
Seidel, D.K., Morin, X.K., Staffen, M., Ludescher, R.D., Simon, J.E. and Schofield, O. (2023) Building a collaborative, university-based science-in-action video storytelling model that translates science for public engagement and increases scientists’ relatability. Frontiers in Communication, 7. https://doi.org/10.3389/fcomm.2022.1049648
2022
Homa, K., Barney, W.P., Wyenandt, C.A., Ward, D.L. and Simon, J.E. (2022) Standardization of screening methodology for assessing the susceptibility of sweet basil cultivars and lines to Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. basilici. Plant Health Progress, 23(4), pp. 424–431.
Date, M.B., Rivero, W.C., Tan, J., Specca, D., Simon, J.E., Salvi, D. and Karwe, M.V. (2022) Effect of plasma-activated nutrient solution on sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) grown using an ebb and flow hydroponic system. SSRN. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4023101
2021
Yariv Ben Naim and Yigal Cohen. “Basil Downy Mildew” Chapter in Plant Protection Management for Fresh Herb in Israel. 2021.Shimon Biton and David Silverman. Ministry of Agriculture-Extension Service (p34-36).( Book Chapter)
Brindisi, L., Arora, V., Kenigsbuch, D., Ward, D., Wyenandt, C., Dudai, N., Gonda, I. & Simon, J. E., (2021) “Rapid screening methods to identify chilling tolerance in sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum L.)”, Journal of Medicinally Active Plants 10(1), 10-Jan. doi: https://doi.org/10.7275/2g05-ea63
Zhang, X., Low, Y.C., Lawton, M.A., Simon, J.E. and Di, R. (2021) CRISPR-editing of sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) homoserine kinase gene for improved downy mildew disease resistance. Frontiers in Genome Editing, 3, 629769.
Souza, J.V.R.S., Ming, L.C., Santos, M.A.L., Simon, J.E., Juliani, H.R. and Saad, J.C.C. (2021) Effect of water regime and harvest stage on essential oil accumulation in basil grown in sandy soil. Irrigation Science, 39(4), pp. 493–503. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00271-021-00719-1
Patel, M., Lee, R., Merchant, E.V., Juliani, H.R., Simon, J.E. and Tepper, B.J. (2021) Descriptive aroma profiles of fresh sweet basil cultivars (Ocimum spp.): relationship to volatile chemical composition. Journal of Food Science, 86(7), pp. 3228–3239.
Homa, K., Barney, W.P., Davis, W.P., Guerrero, D., Berger, M.J., Lopez, J.L., Wyenandt, C.A. and Simon, J.E. (2021) Cold plasma treatment strategies for the control of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. basilici in sweet basil. HortScience, 56(1), pp. 42–51.
Ben-Naim, Y. and Weitman, M. (2021) Joint action of Pb1 and a new gene Pb2 provides dominant complementary resistance against new races of Peronospora belbahrii (basil downy mildew). Phytopathology.
2020
Simon, J.E., Wyenandt, C.A., Raid, R., McGrath, M. and Homa, K. (2020) A plant breeding breakthrough: downy mildew resistant sweet basil. American Vegetable Grower, June, pp. 10–11.
Li, Y., Heckman, J., Wyenandt, A., Mattson, N. and Both, A.J. (2020) Potential benefits of silicon nutrition to hydroponically grown sweet basil. HortScience, 55, pp. 1799–1803.
Victor Ribeiro da Silva de Souza, J., Antonio Liodorio dos Santos, M., Marcia Pereira Sartori, M. ., E Simon, J. ., Rodolfo Juliani, H. ., & Carlos Cury Saad, J. . (2020). Content of basil essential oil on a loam texture soil under water regimes and different harvest stages. International Journal for Innovation Education and Research, 8(8), 250-266. https://doi.org/10.31686/ijier.vol8.iss8.2513
Thines, M., Buaya, A., Ploch, S., Ben-Naim, Y. and Cohen, Y. (2020) Downy mildew of lavender caused by Peronospora belbahrii in Israel. Mycological Progress, 19(12), pp. 1537–1543.
2019
Ben-Naim, Y., Falach, L., Ben-Daniel, B.H. and Cohen, Y. (2019) Host range of Peronospora belbahrii, causal agent of basil downy mildew, in Israel. European Journal of Plant Pathology. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10658-019-01809-9
Falach-Block, L., Ben-Naim, Y. and Cohen, Y. (2019) Investigation of seed transmission in Peronospora belbahrii, the causal agent of basil downy mildew. Agronomy, 9, 205.
2018
Ben-Naim, Y., Falach, L. and Cohen, Y. (2018) Transfer of downy mildew resistance from wild basil (Ocimum americanum) to sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum). Phytopathology, 108, pp. 114–123. https://doi.org/10.1094/PHYTO-06-17-0207-R
Pyne, R.M., Honig, J.A., Vaiciunas, J., Wyenandt, C.A. and Simon, J.E. (2018) Population structure, genetic diversity and downy mildew resistance among Ocimum species germplasm. BMC Plant Biology, 18, 69.
Wyenandt, C.A., Maimone, L.R., Homa, K., Madeiras, A.M., Wick, R.L. and Simon, J.E. (2018) Detection of downy mildew on seed of basil following field infection in southern New Jersey. HortTechnology, 28, pp. 637–641.
2017
Cohen, Y., Ben-Naim, Y., Falach, L. and Rubin, A.E. (2017) Epidemiology of basil downy mildew. Phytopathology, 107, pp. 1149–1160.
Pyne, R., Honig, J., Vaiciunas, J., Koroch, A., Wyenandt, C.A., Bonos, S. and Simon, J.E. (2017) A first linkage map and downy mildew resistance QTL discovery for sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum) facilitated by ddRADseq. PLoS ONE, 12(9), e0184319.
2015
Homa K, Barney WP, Ward DL, Wyenandt CA, Simon JE. Evaluation of Fungicides for the Control of Peronospora belbahrii on Sweet Basil in New Jersey. (2014) Plant Disease 98{1 l):1561-1566. PubMed PMID: 30699781.
Wyenandt, C.A., Simon, J.E., Pyne, R.M., Homa, K., McGrath, M.T., Zhang, S., Raid, R.N., Ma, L.J., Wick, R., Guo, L. and Madeiras, A. (2015) Basil downy mildew (Peronospora belbahrii): discoveries and challenges relative to its control. Phytopathology, 105(7), pp. 885–894.
2014
Homa, K., Barney, W.P., Ward, D.L., Wyenandt, C.A. and Simon, J.E. (2014) Evaluation of fungicides for the control of Peronospora belbahrii on sweet basil in New Jersey. Plant Disease, 98(11), pp. 1561–1566.
Patents
- Simon, J.E. C.A. Wyenandt and R.M. Pyne. Downy Mildew Resistant/Tolerant Sweet Basil Varieties. US Patent No. US 10,159,212 B1. Date of Patent issue: December 25, 2018. This patent includes eight downy mildew resistant basils, including the four now in the commercial marketplace.
Registered Cultivars
| Cultivar | Type | Source | Resistance |
| Rutgers Obsession DMR | Compact Italian-flat leaf | KBC Specialty Seeds |
Basil downy mildew strain 0 and 2; tolerance to race 1
|
| Rutgers Devotion DMR | Italian-flat leaf | KBC Specialty Seeds |
Basil downy mildew strain 0 and 2; tolerance to race 1
|
| Rutgers Passion DMR | Italian-flat leaf | KBC Specialty Seeds |
Basil downy mildew strain 0 and 2; tolerance to race 1
|
| Newton | Italian-flat leaf | Fusarium tolerant | |
| Sweet Dani | Lemon |
No resistance to basil downy mildew
|
|
| Propsera Active DMR ‘Mia’ | Semi-compact genovese | Genesis | Basil downy mildew strain 0 and 1 |
| Prospera Active DMR ‘Noga’ | Tall genovese | Genesis | Basil downy mildew strain 0 and 1 |
| Prospera Active DMR ‘Aya’ | Semi-compact genovese | Genesis | Basil downy mildew strain 0 and 1 |
| Prospera Active DMR ‘Yuval’ | Vigorous, Italian-flat leaf | Genesis | Basil downy mildew strain 0 and 1 |
| Prospera Active DMR ‘Thai Thai’ | Classic thai-type | Genesis | Basil downy mildew strain 0 and 1 |
| Prospera DMR ‘PL4’ | Compact pot-type genovese | Genesis | Only basil downy mildew strain 0 |
| Propsera DMR ‘ILL2’ | Italian large leaf | Genesis | Only basil downy mildew strain 0 |
| Prospera DMR ‘CG1 | tall, genovese for cutting | Genesis | Only basil downy mildew strain 0 |
| Prospera ‘Red’ | purple basil | Genesis | Only basil downy mildew strain 0 |
| Prospera Active DMR ‘Yaraa’ | Tall genovese | Genesis | Basil downy mildew strain 0 and 1 |
| Prospera Active DMR ‘Renee’ | Potted genovese, compact | Genesis | Basil downy mildew strain 0 and 1 |
| Propsera DMR ‘PS5’ | Potted small leaf genovese | Genesis | Only basil downy mildew strain 0 |
| Prospera Active DMR ‘Lihi’ | Compact genovese | Genesis | Basil downy mildew strain 0 and 1 |