Effect of iron or zinc nanoparticles on growth and essential oil content of basil (Ocimum basilicum L.)

Abstract

A field experiment was carried out in the Experimental Researches Station, Agric. College / Al-Muthanna University (southern of Iraq), during 2019 to study the effect ofthree concentrations of iron oxide nanoparticle spray (0, 50, 100 mg Fe.L-1) and three concentrations of zinc oxide nanoparticle (0, 25, 50 mg Zn.L-1) on growth of basil plant (Ocimum basilicum L.) and its content of volatile oil. Randomized Complete Block Design was used with three replicates. The results showed that the spray with concentration (100 mg Fe. L-1) was significantly superior in plant height, branches number, shoot fresh weight, shoot dry weight, essential oil percentage and essential oil yield (48.3cm, 38.0 branch.plant-1, 24.7 gm.plant-1, 2.28 gm.plant-1 , 1.48 % and 33.09 µL.plant-1), respectively. Basil plants sprayed with zinc at a concentration (50 mg Zn. L-1) gave highest rates in plant height, branches number, shoot fresh weight and shoot dry weight (43.7 cm, 32.3 branch.plant-1, 22.6 gm.plant-1 and 2.07 gm.plant-1), respectively. While spraying with a concentration (25 mg Zn.L-1) gave highest values in percentage of essential oil and yield of essential oil (1.42 %, 27.13µL.plant-1), respectively.