Journal of Phytopathology (2016) 164, 202-206

Renato Bruni, Maria Grazia Bellardi and Giuseppe Parrella (2016)
Change in chemical composition of sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) essential oil caused by Alfalfa mosaic virus
Journal of Phytopathology 164 (3), 202-206
Abstract: The effects of Alfalfa mosaic virus (AMV) infection on essential oil (EO) content and composition of a Sweet Basil cv. Gigante di Napoli were evaluated. A 10-fold lower extraction yield from infected plants was observed, suggesting that morphological alterations induced by the disease may affect abundance and efficacy of secretive tissues. Organoleptic properties and thus quality of EO were severely affected and EO composition resulted severely altered, with a great increase in sesquiterpenes (from 72.8 to 19.8%) and a decrease in both monoterpenes (from 35 to 11%) and phenylpropanoids (from 44.5 to 15.8%, despite a slight increase in eugenol). Such report is indicative of possible direct or indirect metabolic consequences of AMV in a commercially important species like Ocimum basilicum is. The possible consequences of linalool and trans-ß-farnesene content changes on the dispersion of viruliferous aphids are also examined and discussed.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Giuseppe Parrella, Maria Grazia Bellardi

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
general biology - morphology - evolution
damage/losses/economics

---

Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Alfalfa mosaic virus	Basil (Ocimum)