Abstract
Salinity is a major concern in several ecosystems and has a significant impact on global agriculture. To increase the sustainability of horticultural food systems, better management and usage of saline water and soils need to be supported by knowledge of the crop-specific responses to tolerable levels of salinity. The aim of this work was to study the effects of mild salinity on morphological growth and development, leaf color, mineral composition, antioxidant activities, and phenolic profile of sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum L.). Plants grew in hydroponics and were exposed to three nutrient solutions (NSs) differing in the NaCl concentration (either 0, 20, or 40 mM). Inhibitory effects on leaf area, fresh yield, and shoot biomass were evident starting from the lowest NaCl concentration, and they became more severe and wide-ranging at 40 mM, also affecting height and root-to-shoot ratio. Salinity increased the nutritional quality in terms of antioxidant activity and polyphenols in leaves, with a reduction in macroelements at 40 mM NaCl. Moreover, the two mild NaCl concentrations specifically modified the concentration of various phenolic acids in leaves. Overall, the use of a slightly saline (20 mM) NS could be tolerated by basil in hydroponics, strongly ameliorating the nutritional profile in the face of relative yield loss. Considering the significantly higher accumulation of bioactive compounds, our work implies that the use of low-salinity water can sustainably increase the nutritional value and the health-promoting features of basil leaves.
Highlights
Considering that the regular consumption of polyphenols is highly appreciated because of their potential health benefits, in relation to the prevention of some chronic diseases, we investigated morphological traits, leaf elemental composition, and antioxidant activities and polyphenols in two saline concentrations
The number of leaves per plant was not affected (Figure 1B), suggesting that plants were stunted rather than less developed. This is supported by the fact that the two saline treatments strongly restricted the leaf area, which, at the highest NaCl concentration employed, was around one-third of the control condition (Figure 1C)
The edaphic stress impacted the ratio between roots and shoots, with plants progressively safeguarding the production of root biomass with increasing salt concentration (+23% and +46% for 20 and 40 mM NaCl, respectively)
Summary
Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. Salinity is considered a global limiting factor for agriculture, with around one-fifth of irrigated land suffering from secondary salinization [1]. Salinity is a concern for irrigated and nonirrigated lands and affects freshwater quality, soil health, biodiversity, and society [4], with climate change predicted to exacerbate the problems of salinity in agriculture [5]. It is, necessary to investigate and possibly adapt horticultural production systems to more saline conditions
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