Agronomic Performance, Mineral Composition, and Biochemical Characteristics of Basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) Grown in Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) Aquaponic Systems.

Plant-parasitic nematodes and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) have been reported to alter the yield and chemical composition of basil (Ocimum basilicum) essential oil. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of AMF to control the root-knot nematode Meloidogyne javanica in basil and to investigate the effects of nematode-AMF interactions on plant growth, phosphorus (P) absorption, and essential oil composition. The experiment was conducted under greenhouse conditions following a completely randomized 3 × 2 factorial (two fungal species and an uninoculated control × inoculated and uninoculated seedlings) arrangement with 10 replicates. Substrates were inoculated with Claroideoglomus etunicatum, Rhizophagus clarus, or no fungi (control) and sown with basil seeds. After 20 days, half of the seedlings were inoculated with 4,000 M. javanica eggs. After 60 days, the vegetative parameters, P absorption, essential oil composition, nematode population density, AMF root-colonization efficiency, and AMF spore density were determined. The presence of AMF increased the basil’s fresh weight and ability to absorb P, while reducing the M. javanica reproduction. In total, 21 compounds were identified in basil essential oil, the concentrations of which varied according to the treatments. The major components were eucalyptol, linalool, eugenol, β-elemene, trans-α-bergamotene, and τ-cadinol. Inoculation with AMF decreased the linalool levels but increased the amount of eucalyptol. Mycorrhizal plants showed increased shoot height, P uptake, and essential oil yield and a decreased nematode population density in their roots

با توجه به تاثیرات منفی نگهدارنده های شیمیایی بر سلامت مصرف‌کنندگان، توجه مراجع قانونی و صنایع غذایی بر کاربرد اسانس‌ها و عصاره‌های گیاهی بعنوان نگهدارنده‌های طبیعی در مواد غذایی متمرکز شده است. در این پژوهش تاثیر اسانس‌های ریحان و مریم گلی کبیر بر رشد لیستریا مونوسیتوژنز و آسپرژیلوس فلاووس طی دوره نگهداری پنیر سفید ایرانی مورد مطالعه قرار گرفت. روش‌های بکار رفته در این تحقیق مشتمل بر تعیین حداقل غلظت مهارکنندگی رشد (MIC)، حداقل غلظت باکتری‌کشی (MBC) و حداقل غلظت قارچ‌کشی (MFC) اسانس‌ها، تعیین تاثیر غلظت‌های مختلف اسانس‌ها بر رشد لیستریا و آسپرژیلوس در پنیر طی دوره نگهداری محصول بود. ترکیبات اصلی اسانس مریم گلی کبیر شامل لینالیل استات، لینالول و اسانس ریحان شامل لینالول و آلفا-کادینول بود.MIC و MBC اسانس مریم گلی، به ترتیب، معادل 015/0% و 02/0% و اسانس ریحان برابر با 05/0% و 06/0% برای لیستریا بود. همچنین، MIC و MFC در برابر آسپرژیلوس برای اسانس مریم گلی معادل 5/0% و 65/0% و برای اسانس ریحان برابر با 6/0% و 8/0% بدست آمد. غلظت 35/0% اسانس مریم گلی و 5/0% اسانس ریحان از تولید اسپور توسط قارچ در محیط کشت جلوگیری نمود. اسانس مریم گلی در غلظت 1% طی دوره نگهداری پنیر از رشد آسپرژیلوس بطور کامل بازداری نمود و جمعیت لیستریا را نسبت به شاهد log 6 کاهش داد. اسانس ریحان تاثیر ضدمیکربی ضعیف‌تری نسبت به اسانس مریم گلی کبیر نشان داد.

Greenhouse and aquaponic productions of basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) are well established, but the comparison between these two methods is not studied in detail. A study was conducted to evaluate the performance of basil in both aquaponic and soil systems under greenhouse conditions. The plants were raised in aquaponic beds with ornamental fish and a set of plants was raised in soil pots under a greenhouse setup. The studied parameters were morphological, biochemical and antioxidant levels. In order to analyze the stress effects of an aquaponic system on plant defense mechanism, two different antioxidant enzymes (catalase and peroxidase) were analyzed. Water quality parameters were monitored during the entire study period. Based on the results, there was a significant increase in growth parameters in the aquaponic system when compared to the conventional greenhouse cultivation of basil plants. The photosynthetic parameters showed a decline in the aquaponic system, but the biochemical parameters showed an enhancement in the aquaponic system of growing basil plants. The antioxidants exhibited a significant increase in the aquaponic system, which suggests a water stress effect on the plants induced by the aquaponic growing system. From the results of this study, it can be concluded that the aquaponic system is the best suitable method for basil production in the UAE condition.

The sustainable enhancement of basil growth and essential oil quality using organic amendments such as vermicompost and humic acid is of growing importance for improving crop productivity, oil bioactivity, and environmental sustainability in medicinal and aromatic plant production. This study investigates the effects of vermicompost and humic acid on the growth, biomass, and essential oil production of basil plants. Different treatments, including solid vermicompost, vermicompost tea added as foliar spray or soil drench, and various concentrations of humic acid (4, 8, and 12 g/L), were applied to evaluate their impact on growth traits, chlorophyll content, and essential oil composition. The results showed that the combination of solid vermicompost and 8 to 12 g/L humic acid was most effective for enhancing plant biomass, leaf development, and harvest index. The vermicompost tea soil drench with 12 g/L humic acid produced the highest flowering number (2.33 inflorescences/plant) and essential oil yield (64.96 L/ha). This treatment also improved total chlorophyll content by 31% to 33% compared with the untreated control, thus contributing to enhanced biomass and oil production. Moreover, it increased the phenolic and flavonoid content in basil oil by approximately 35% and 63%, respectively, highlighting the potential of organic amendments for improving the quality and bioactivity of essential oils. A gas chromatography–mass spectrometry analysis revealed significant changes in the essential oil profile, with increased levels of phenylpropanoids (estragole) and terpenoids (caryophyllene, humulene) in the most effective treatments. These findings demonstrate that vermicompost and humic acid treatments can substantially enhance both the growth and commercial value of basil by improving both biomass yield and essential oil quality. Future studies should focus on the long-term effects of these treatments and their interactions with environmental factors.

Basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) is a vital aromatic crop widely utilized in culinary and fragrance industries. The present study was conducted to implement a two-year field experiment (2019 and 2020) aimed to assess the impact of various fertilizers on the growth, yield, and essential oil composition of basil cultivated in Thanh Hoa Province, Vietnam. The fertilizer treatments included: no fertilizer (control), chemical fertilizer (NPK at 90-120-90 kg/ha), cow manure, chicken manure, and a combination of chemical fertilizer, cow manure, and chicken manure. The application of fertilizers resulted in significant improvements across various parameters compared to the control group. Basil plants treated with fertilizers exhibited increased height, la teral stem count, fresh and dry yields, chlorophyll and carotenoid content, essential oil yield, and essential oil content. The essential oil extracted from basil contained notable volatile compounds, with methyl chavicol, linalool, β-elemene, and epi-α-cadinol identified as the major constituents. The proportions of these compounds varied among the fertilizer treatments. Notably, the combined fertilization approach involving chemical fertilizers, cow manure, and chicken manure emerged as the most effective and significant in promoting basil growth and essential oil production. These findings not only contribute to the optimization of basil cultivation practices but also provide insights for the agricultural community, emphasizing the importance of balanced fertilization for maximizing the quality and yield of basil essential oil in the Vietnamese context.

<b>Background and Objective:</b> Basil (<i>Ocimum basilicum</i> L.), an aromatic herb, is considered one of the most important crops with essential oils as well as other bioactive compounds. Basil leaves have tremendous pharmaceutical benefits and are used for foods. Slow-release fertilizers have been developed to optimize the fertilization of crops. This work aims to discover the effect of NPK Slow-Release Fertilizer Coated by Starch (NPK-SRFS) at different rates on growth, yield and essential oil components of basil grown on the field in Northern Vietnam. <b>Materials and Methods:</b> Basil seedlings, sown from seeds, were used as plant materials. NPK-SRFS was stocked in the Faculty of Chemistry, Hanoi Pedagogical University 2. The experiments were designed in a fully randomized block model, consisting of four treatments with different rates of NPK-SRFS. Each treatment had three replicates with an area of 8 m<sup>2</sup>. Duncan's Multiple Range Test was being used for statistical analysis (p = 0.05). <b>Results:</b> All 3 NPK-SRFS treatments significantly increased the number of buds and leaves per plant compared to the control. However, NPK-SRFS at different rates affected diversely plant height and leaf area of the basil. F5.0 and F10 treatments accelerated chlorophyll content as well as Fv/Fm value in comparison with none NPK-SRFS treatment. The application of NPK-SRFS at different rates caused slightly different changes in basil essential oil composition, especially the content of Methyl Chavicol, the most abundant oxygenated monoterpene and α-trans-Bergamotene, the most abundant sesquiterpene hydrocarbon. <b>Conclusion:</b> The present study provides further insight into the influence of NPK-SRFS on the growth, yield and essential oil components of basil.

آکواپونیک یکی از تکنیک های کشت بدون خاک است که در آن ماهی و گیاه بطور توام پرورش داده می شوند. ریحان گیاهی علفی و متعلق به خانواده نعناع می باشد که اسانس آن عمدتا در صنایع غذایی، دارویی و عطرسازی مورد استفاده قرار گرفته و همچنین دارای خواص ضد میکروبی است. کشت گلخانه ای ریحان، جهت عرضه مداوم ریحان تازه به بازار، به دلیل ارزش بالای اقتصادی و تقاضای زیاد آن در حال گسترش می باشد. به منظور بررسی تاثیر سیستم های کشت بدون خاک بر عملکرد، غلظت عناصر غذایی و میزان اسانس گیاه ریحان آزمایشی بصورت فاکتوریل با دو فاکتور، سیستم (هیدروپونیک و آکواپونیک) و رقم (ریحان سبز و ریحان بنفش) و در قالب طرح پایه کاملا تصادفی با سه تکرار اجرا گردید. نتایج نشان داد که وزن تر و خشک بخش هوایی و ریشه، ارتفاع، سطح برگ و تعداد گره در هر دو رقم در سیستم هیدروپونیک بیشتر از آکواپونیک بود. شاخص SPAD به طور معنی داری تحت تأثیر سیستم کشت قرار گرفت و میزان آن در سیستم هیدروپونیک 86/12 درصد بیشتر از سیستم آکواپونیک بود. میزان اسانس در بخش های هوایی تحت تاثیر سیستم کشت و رقم قرار نگرفت. پایین بودن غلظت عناصر نیتروژن، فسفر و منگنز احتمالا دلیل کاهش سبزینگی و کاهش رشد گیاهان در سیستم آکواپونیک بوده است. اگرچه بر اساس نتایج فوق رشد گیاهان در سیستم آکواپونیک کمتر از هیدروپونیک بود ولی با این وجود رشد گیاهان در این سیستم رضایتبخش بوده و هیچ گونه علائم ظاهری کمبود در گیاهان مشاهده نشد. احتمالا افزایش تعداد ماهی در واحد حجم آب و افزایش غذادهی می تواند به رفع کمبود جزئی عناصر غذائی در سیستم آکواپونیک کمک کند. بنابراین سیستم آکواپونیک ظرفیت تولید گیاهان داروئی مثل ریحان را دارا می باشد.

Owing to the complexity in the chemical composition of plant essential oils, they often display enhanced insecticidal activity when applied as a mixture. Although the insecticidal activity of plant essential oils has been gaining more attention recently, understanding in the mechanism of synergy has not been studied as much. In the present study, insecticidal activity of 28 individual essential oils and their mixtures against the third instar larvae of Spodoptera litura was examined. Among the oils tested, basil oil exhibited the strongest contact toxicity, and mandarin oil displayed the greatest boosting effect when the remaining oils were mixed with basil oil. Estragole and linalool were determined as the major active constituents for the insecticidal activity of basil oil and limonene for mandarin oil from the chemical analyses and compound elimination assay. Based on the LD50 values, the binary mixture of basil and mandarin oils exhibited enhanced toxicity compared to the individual application of the two oils, showing synergy ratios of 1.3 and 1.4 from two statistical models. As for the major active compounds, synergistic interaction was found in tertiary mixture of estragole, linalool, and limonene in the blending ratio of 7:2:7, displaying the same insecticidal activity of the binary mixture of basil and mandarin oils. The synergistic effect was only observed in the tertiary mixture, indicating each compound play crucial roles of the overall contact toxicity. Increased penetration through cuticular layer and amplified neurophysiological response were proposed for the mechanism of synergistic effect.

The application of nanotechnology in agriculture has introduced nano-fertilizers as sustainable and efficient alternatives to conventional chemical inputs. Among these, nano-structured plant growth regulators (PGRs) have shown great promise due to their enhanced bioavailability, targeted delivery, and reduced environmental toxicity. These nanomaterials not only improve soil nutrient dynamics but also significantly influence plant physiology, leading to improved growth, stress resistance, and enhanced phytochemical profiles. Specifically, nano-enabled PGRs have improved the yield and composition of essential oils in the cultivation of aromatic and therapeutic plants like Ocimum basilicum (basil). Basil is widely valued for its therapeutic properties and is a key species in the essential oil industry. The effects of several nano-structured PGRs on basil development have been studied using randomized complete block design (RCBD), with essential oil profiling conducted using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Significant differences between treatments have been confirmed by statistical techniques such as ANOVA and Tukey's post hoc test. This review synthesizes current research on the use of nano-PGRs in basil, emphasizing their potential to enhance both agronomic performance and secondary metabolite production. The findings support the integration of nanotechnology into sustainable agricultural practices, particularly in high-value crops where essential oil quality and yield are critical.

The essential oils isolated from Tagetes minuta L. flowers and Ocimum basilicum L. herb were analyzed by GC/MS and assessed for antioxidant and in vitro and in vivo anticancer activities. Also biological effects of these essential oils on normal mice were studied. The major components of marigold essential oil were cis-β-ocimene (54.82%), cis-tagetone (11.50%) and trans-tagetenone (10.78%), cistagetenone (7.10%), dihydrotagetone (6.50%) and limonene (3.82%). The major components of basil essential oil were estragole (75.45%), 1,8-cineole (7.56%), linalool (5.01%), trans-anethole (3.72%) and methyleugenol (3.48%). The DPPH· scavenging activities of both essential oils were determined. 50% effective concentration (EC50) of marigold essential oil (86.35 μg/ml) was higher than basil essential oil (80.84 μg/ml). The anticancer activity of the two essential oils on two human promyelocytic leukemia cell lines (HL-60 and NB4) and experimental animals model cancer cell line (EACC) were investigated in vitro. The results indicated that the anticancer activity of marigold essential oil was higher than basil essential oil against NB4 and EACC cell lines, while basil essential oil was higher than marigold essential oil against HL-60 cell line. In in vivo study, pre-initiation treatments with the both essential oils were more effective than initiation and post-initiation treatments, respectively on the tumor (EACC) transplanted female mice. Biological effects of both essential oils on normal mice indicated that all the obtained values in all experimental animals were within the normal range. Key words: Tagetes minuta, Ocimum basilicum, essential oils, antioxidant, anticancer.

Antimicrobial potential of six essential oils (EOs) (basil, ginger, hyssop, caraway, ­juniper, and sage) against three food-borne bacterial pathogens, commonly found as meat product contaminants (Escherichia coli, Salmonella enterica and Listeria monocytogenes), using disc diffusion and broth microdilution methods, was evaluated. The EOs composition was determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) technique. Dominant compounds in analyzed EOs were: estragole (in basil EO), cis-pinocamphone (in hyssop EO), α-pinene (in juniper EO), α-thujone (in sage EO), carvone (in caraway EO) and curcumene (in ginger EO). Basil EO inhibited growth of all tested bacteria (disc diffusion method). Tested concentrations of ginger EO lacked bactericidal activity. Only basil EO showed inhibitory effect on L. monocytogenes growth. Compared to all tested EOs, caraway EO had the highest antibacterial activity on E. coli and S. enterica.Minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of basil and sage EOs was 56.8 µl/mL for all tested bacteria. Hyssop, caraway, and juniper EOs were inhibitory at concentration of 113.6 µl/mL on all tested bacterial species. MIC of ginger EO was 113.6 µL/mL for E. coli and L. monocytogenes and 227.3 µL/mL for S. enterica. Minimal bacte­ricidal concentration (MBC) of basil and sage EOs was 113.6 µl/mL for all investigated bacteria. MBC of hyssop, caraway, and juniper EOs was 227.3 µl/mL for all investigation bacteria. MBC of ginger EO was 227.3 µL/mL for E. coli and L. monocytogenes and 454.5 µL/mL for S. enterica. Tested EOs have a great potential as natural antibacterial preservative in food.

This research aimed to standardize the growth of two commonly cultivated herbs in the United Arab Emirates, basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) and coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.), within an aquaponic system. The study compared a recirculatory aquaponic system (RAS) with static aquaculture systems (for fish performance) and irrigated greenhouse cultivation systems (for herb performance). The project assessed growth, element composition, and aquaponic efficacy to determine the viability of aquaponics for these herbs. In the soilless (aquaponic) system, both herbs exhibited significantly enhanced growth parameters, including plant height, root length, leaf count, and fresh and dry weights, compared to conventional soil‐based cultivation. This growth enhancement was attributed to the additional nutrients derived from fish waste in the aquaponic system. Furthermore, plants displayed significantly higher element levels, highlighting the effectiveness of aquaponics in nutrient delivery. Notably, the aquaponic system demonstrated superior antioxidant activity in both herbs. The study also revealed remarkable water use efficiency in the aquaponic system, with water savings exceeding 90% compared to conventional methods. These findings establish the efficiency and sustainability of aquaponic systems over traditional food production approaches, particularly in arid regions such as the United Arab Emirates. Utilizing an aquaponic system for these commonly cultivated herbs resulted in improved growth and resource efficiency, affirming its viability as an environmentally sustainable and efficient method of food production in desert climates.

This study investigated the antiobesogenic effects of the inhalation of volatile compounds derived from basil essential oil (BEO) in high fat diet-induced obese rats. A total of 47 volatile compounds were identified in BEO using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Major volatile compounds identified by olfactory testing include linalool oxide, linalool, 1-menthene, and carvone. White adipose tissue significantly decreased in the rats that inhaled 0.3% BEO (more than +10%) compared to the control. Plasma marker analysis showed increased high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (ca. double fold) and decreased low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (more than -30%) levels in inhaled 1% BEO group compared to the control. Leptin significantly decreased in the 0.3 and 1% BEO groups (more than -70 and -85%, respectively). Last, systolic blood pressure at week 12 was significantly lower in inhaled 1% BEO group (more than -15%) compared to the control. The results of this study suggest that BEO inhalation may be effective in managing plasma lipid markers (cholesterols and leptin) and possibly metabolic disorders such as obesity. Practical Application: Changes in metabolic health markers, which are effected by inhalation of volatiles in basil (Ocimum basilicum) essential oil, will provide physiological variations in vivo to the public. In this study, the opposite effects were identified between 0.3% and 1% inhalation, respectively. Therefore, our findings will provide optimized and useful guidance for inhalation of basil essential oil.

Basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) is cultivated in many countries as an aromatic herb because of its essential oils that have many uses. In our study, nitrogen application at three levels and a tester was used, and effects on quantity and essential oil characteristics were recorded. The purpose was to explore nitrogen effects on essential oil of basil in Greece. Two commercial cultivars of basil were used: Red Rubin and Lettuce Leaf. The experiment conducted was a replicated fully randomized complete block split-split plot with the two varieties as the main factor, split factor was nitrogen levels (four rates) and split in time factor was sampling time (six dates). Nine characteristics were studied (chlorophyll content measurements-CCM, foliar surface, plant height, fresh weight, dry weight, leaves/stems ratio for fresh weight, leaves/stems ratio for dry weight, essential oil content of flowers and essential oil content of leaves). Basil plants were generally favoured by nitrogen application and many characteristics were improved. Especially for foliar surface, chlorophyll content, plant height and biomass weight (for both cultivars). Red Rubin exploited better nitrogen application in comparison to Lettuce leaf, especially for the second level. On the opposite, Lettuce leaf showed better essential oil production. The two cultivars differed also in the composition of essential oils with impact on essential oil properties. Finally, the biological cycle was accelerated for both cultivars because of increased metabolism after nitrogen application. Genotype × environment interaction was present in many cases, except for foliar surface, leaves/stem ratio and essential oil content of leaves.

Chemical composition and antioxidant activity of 'Nufar' basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) essential oil from three municipalities of Tolima, Colombia