EFFECT OF PROPAGATION METHODS AND ORGANIC FERTILIZATION ON GROWTH AND CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS OF OCIMUM BASILICUM L.,' SWEET BASIL.'

Abstract

Two filed experiments were carried out during the twosuccessive years of 2004 and 2005) to study the effect ofpropagation methods (seedlings from seeds and terminal cuttings)alone or with using organic manure fertilizer such as farm yardmanure ''FYM'' or poultry manure ''PM'' at rates 0, 10, 20 and 30m3/ fed. on growth and chemical constituents of sweet basilplants. The obtained results indicated that, all growth parametersi.e., plant height, number of branches/plant, number ofinflorescences/plant, fresh weight of herb/plant and number ofroots as well as volatile oil percentage, oil yield per plant and perfeddan, N, P and K % and total carbohydrate contents in the herbwere significantly increased as methods of propagation such asterminal cuttings and organic manure application of poultrymanure. The best results were obtained from poultry manure atrate of 20 m3/fed. or farm yard manure at rate of 30 m3/fed. Alsocultivate terminal cuttings combined with organic manurefertilization gave the best results than seedlings combined withorganic manure fertilization. Terminal cuttings combined withpoultry manure gave the best results than other combines. Themaximum increment in the studied growth parameters andchemical constituents as well as yield and its component wereobtained by cultivate with terminal cuttings using medium rate 20m3/fed. from poultry manure or high rate 30 m3/fed. from farmyard manure at rate of 30 m3/fed. fertilization.