Abstract
A field experiment was conducted to evaluate yield and some qualitative characteristics of four cultivars of sweet basil treated with different levels of nitrogen fertilizer. The experiments were located on the Agricultural Research Station of Khorramabad, Iran, during the 2016-2017 growing season. Treatments were arranged in factorial split-plot-in time in randomized complete block design with three replications. Experimental treatments were four cultivars of sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum ‘Italian Large Leaf’, O. basilicum ‘Mobarakeh’, O. basilicum ‘Cinnamon’ and O. basilicum ‘Thai’), three levels of nitrogen fertilizer (0, 100 and 200 kg ha-1 urea) and three harvests. The highest total dry mass (3482.4 kg ha-1) was related to ‘Italian Large Leaf’ with the application of 200 kg ha-1 urea at the second harvest. The maximum (26.79 kg ha-1) essential oil yield belonged to 100 kg ha-1 urea. The highest concentrations of main constituents of essential oil, except methyl chavicol, 1,8-cineole and methyl cinnamate were obtained by control (without nitrogen fertilizer). Italian Large Leaf cultivar and application of 100 kg ha-1 urea are recommended to access an acceptable agricultural yield and essential oil yield in sweet basil under the environmental condition similar to Khorramabad
Highlights
Sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) is one of the oldest spices belonging to the Labiatae family, an herbaceous annual plant, native to Asia, Africa, America and the Subtropics (Roman, 2012; Borloveanu, 2014)
The results of the present study revealed that among different basil cultivars, Italian Large Leaf cultivar had the highest mean leaf dry mass, total dry mass, essential oil percentage and essential oil yield as compared to other cultivars
The lowest essential oil percentage and essential oil yield belonged to Mobarakeh cultivar
Summary
Sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) is one of the oldest spices belonging to the Labiatae family, an herbaceous annual plant, native to Asia, Africa, America and the Subtropics (Roman, 2012; Borloveanu, 2014). The basil is rich in secondary metabolites and essential oil of therapeutic importance. It has been used in traditional medicine as a tonic, diuretic, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, anticancer and to prevent cardiovascular disease complications (Krishnaiah et al, 2009; Srivastava et al, 2014; Li et al, 2017). There are many cultivars of sweet basil which vary in their leaf colors (green or purple), flower color (white, red, purple) and aroma. The chemical composition of sweet basil essential oil depends on genetic, season, environmental factors and the plant growth stage (Bilal et al, 2012). The chemical composition of sweet basil essential oil depends on genetic, season, environmental factors and the plant growth stage (Bilal et al, 2012). Padalia et al (2014) has reported linalool, methyl chavicol, methyl eugenol, eugenol and geraniol as dominant components in the basil essential oil
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