Quality Of Sweet Basil Research Articles

Influence of gibberellic acid on leaf abscission and quality of sweet basil

Influence of gibberellic acid on leaf abscission and quality of sweet basil

The Effect of Irrigation and Humic Acid on the Plant Yield and Quality of Sweet Basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) with Mulching Application under Semi-Arid Ecological Conditions.

The adoption of suitable irrigation levels (IRL), humic acid doses (HAD) and soil mulching (SM) are important tools for improving the morpho-physiological and biochemical traits of medicinal and aromatic plants. Ocimum basilicum L. cultivated under four IRL: IRL 100 = 100% FC-IRL 75 = 75% FC-IRL 50 = 50% FC-IRL 25 = 25% FC and four HAD: HA 0 = 0.0 Lha-1-HA 10 = 10.0 Lha-1-HA 20 = 20.0 L ha-1-HA 40 = 40.0 L ha-1 were applied in order to evaluate morpho-physiological and biochemical traits under the ecological conditions of Eskişehir in 2016 and 2017. A second trial was conducted with black plastic soil mulch (SM) and compared with the control plots (CP) in 2016. The experiment was arranged in a randomized complete block design with split plots and three replications. The plant height (PH), fresh herb yield (FHY), dry herb yield (DHY), dry leaf yield (DLY), protein ratio (PR), and main essential oil compounds (MEOC) of Ocimum basilicum L. increased and the essential oil ratio (EOR) and essential oil yield (EOY) decreased with increasing IRL (IRL 100 and IRL 75). FHY (7268.3 and 7472.7 kg ha-1) and DLY (635.3 and 637.5 kg ha-1) increased with increasing HAD (HA 20 and HA 40) compared to the values of FHY and DLY at HA 0 (6852.6 and 587.0 respectively). The SM application at IRL 50 increased the PH between 8.8 and 13.5%, FHY 11.7 and 16.7%, DLY 22.5 and 29.2%, and at IRL 75 the EOY between 20.0 and 23.9% compared to CP. In addition, PH, FHY, DLY, and EOY were highest at HA 40 and HA 20. The MEOC (linalool, 1,8-cineole, and (E) - β-bergamotene) under SM were more pronounced at IRL 25 and IRL 50 compared to CP. HA particularly improved FHY, DLY, and the main essential oil compounds that can be considered plant biostimulants, which were defined by several studies and regulations.

Intercropping System and N2 Fixing Bacteria Can Increase Land Use Efficiency and Improve the Essential Oil Quantity and Quality of Sweet Basil (Ocimum basilicum L.).

Intercropping fodder plants with medicinal plants, in addition to enhancing productivity, can remarkably reduce the population of weeds, pests and diseases and for naturally meeting of livestock medicinal needs. Two experiments were conducted to evaluate biological yield, essential oil (EO) composition and yield of sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) treated with N2 fixing bacteria in additive intercropping with forage maize during the 2018 and 2019. Treatments were arranged in factorial split-plot-in time in randomized complete block design with three replications. The factors were 100% chemical fertilizer (N), N2 fixing bacteria (Azospirillum brasilense and Azotobacter chroococcum), integration of N2 fixing bacteria + 50% nitrogen chemical fertilizer and control. The cropping pattern factor included of sole cropping basil and the additive intercropping of maize + 25% basil, maize + 50% basil, maize + 75% basil, and maize + 100% basil. The results indicated that the highest essential oil yield (30.8 kg ha−1) and essential oil percentage (0.75%) were obtained in sole cropping with A. brasilense and A. chroococcum + 50% chemical nitrogen fertilizer application in second harvest in 2019. In both cropping systems, the N2 fixing bacteria application significantly increased fresh and dry yield and land equivalent ratio (LER) as compared to control plants. In both years of experiments could remarkably vary depending on type of treatment. In both years, eight constituents including methyl chavicol (17.24–51.28%), Z-citral (neral) (8.33–24.3%), geranial (10.2–31.3%), (E)-caryophyllene (1.05–5.64%), α-trans-bergamotene (0.53–1.7%), α-humulene (0.4–1.69%), germacrene-D (0.2–1.88%), and (Z)-α- bisabolene (1.16–3.86%) were the main constituents of EO. The highest content of methyl chavicol was found through sole cropping of sweet basil with nitrogen chemical fertilizer followed by sole cropping of sweet basil with an integration of A. brasilense and A. chroococcum + 50% nitrogen chemical fertilizer in 2018 and 2019. Intercropping system and N2 fixing bacteria can be effective in reducing chemical fertilizer consumption and environmental pollution and achieving the sustainable agriculture goals.

Selenium Enrichment Enhances the Quality and Shelf Life of Basil Leaves.

The biofortification of leafy vegetables with selenium (Se) is a good way to increase human dietary Se intake. In addition, selenium delays plant senescence by enhancing the antioxidant capacity of plant tissues, decreasing postharvest losses. We investigated the effects of selenium addition on the production and quality of sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum) leaves of two harvesting phases, hereafter referred to as cuts, during the crop cycle. Plants were hydroponically grown and treated with 0 (control), 4, 8 and 12 mg Se L−1 as selenate. To evaluate the growth, nutritional value and quality of the basil leaves, selected qualitative parameters were determined at harvest and after five days of storage. Application of Se at varying rates (4, 8 and 12 mg L−1) was associated with an increased leaf selenium concentration in the first, but not the second cut. The application of Se significantly affected the antioxidant capacity as well as the total phenol and rosmarinic acid contents at harvest. The reduction in ethylene production observed in the plants at 4 mg Se L−1 after five days of storage suggests that this Se treatment could be used to prolong and enhance the shelf-life of basil. The daily consumption of 10 g of Se-enriched basil leaves, which, as an example, are contained in a single portion of Italian pesto sauce, would also satisfy the recommended selenium supplementation in humans.

Influence of Organic Manure, Natural Rocks and Putrescine on Yield and Quality of Sweet Basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) Grown in Sand Soil

Influence of Organic Manure, Natural Rocks and Putrescine on Yield and Quality of Sweet Basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) Grown in Sand Soil

The Growth and Development of Sweet Basil (Ocimum basilicum) and Bush Basil (Ocimum minimum) Grown under Three Light Regimes in a Controlled Environment

Light is a crucial element for plant growth and production. In areas where natural light is not sufficient for optimal plant growth and production, high pressure sodium (HPS) light sources are widely used. However, HPS lamps are considered not very electrically efficient generating high radiant heat and as a consequence, there has been a lot of interest in replacing HPS lamps with new more efficient lighting sources in the form of light-emitting diodes (LEDs). The effects of three lighting sources (White LED, Blue/Red LED and HPS) on the growth, development and on the essential oil yield and quality of sweet basil and bush basil were investigated. There was a clear advantage to the Blue/Red (452 nm and 632 nm, respectively) LED on virtually all growth and physiological parameters measured for both basil species. The HPS lighting system always performed least effectively in all comparisons. Combining increases in plant yield and increases in oil yield the Blue/Red LED array outperformed the HPS lights by a factor of approximately double, with the white LED being intermediate between these two extremes.

Effects of foliar application of glycine and glutamine amino acids on growth and quality of sweet basil

Amino acids have diverse roles in plant metabolism, and recently amino acid based fertilizers have been used largely in crop production systems. Despite most of these new fertilizers are formulated for foliar application; however, morphophysiological responses of crops to amino acids application have not yet been well documented. In the present study, foliar application of glycine or glutamine in different concentrations of 0 (distilled water), 250, 500, 1000 mg·L-1, as well as a treatment of 250 mg·L-1 glycine + 250 mg·L-1 glutamine were evaluated on growth of sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) plants. The results showed that foliar application of glycine or glutamine at 1000 mg·L-1 showed no improvement in comparison with control for all traits except for leaf L-ascorbic acid concentration that showed the highest value under these amino acids treatments. However, foliar application of these amino acids at 250 and particularly 500 mg·L-1 showed promising effect on sweet basil growth. Plant shoot fresh and dry weight, leaf area, leaf SPAD value, and leaf chlorophyll content were improved by foliar application of 500 mg·L-1 glycine or glutamine in comparison with control plants. Foliar application of amino acids increased leaf nitrogen (glutamine 250 and 500 mg·L-1), potassium (glycine 250 mg·L-1), magnesium (glutamine 250 or 500 mg·L-1, glycine 250 mg·L-1, glycine + glutamine; 250 + 250 mg·L-1), iron (glycine and glutamine at 500 mg·L-1 and glutamine at 250 mg·L-1), and zinc (glycine and glutamine at 250 or 500 mg·L-1), whereas the increase in leaf nutrients caused by other treatments was not significantly different from control plants. Leaf calcium concentration was not changed by amino acid treatments. The results indicate that foliar application of moderate to low concentrations of glutamine or glycine can improve sweet basil growth.

Effects of nutritive solution electrical conductivity and plant density on growth, yield and quality of sweet basil grown in gullies by subirrigation

The increasing demand for basil in the last decade has arisen from consumer tendency towards high nourishing produce. Soilless growing of this crop is a current farm strategy and the quality targets are affected by nutritive solution as well as by plants density per pot. Research was carried out with the aim of assessing plant growth, yield and leaves quality of basil (Ocimum basilicum L., cv. Gecom FT) grown in pots (peat-lapil) and fed by subirrigation inside plastic gullies, under a heated greenhouse. Comparisons were made of four electrical conductivities (EC: 2.2, 2.5, 2.8, 3.1 mS·cm-1) in factorial combination with four plant densities (9, 12, 15, 18 plants per pot) and a split plot design was arranged with three replicates. The 2.8 mS.cm-1 EC resulted in the best yield, growth indexes and biometrical parameters values. Water absorption was highest under the 2.8 mS.cm-1 EC, whereas the highest nutrient consumptions as well as the best quality indicators and chemical composition corresponded to the 2.8 to 3.1 mS.cm-1 EC range. The 12 plants per pot density gave the best results, in terms of yield, growth indexes and biometrical parameters, also showing the highest plant water and nutrient uptakes. The leaves quality attributes and chemical composition always displayed decreasing trends as a function of the plant density increase, the highest values corresponding to 9 and 12 plants per pot; only the nitrates concentration showed an opposite trend compared to the other nutrients. In conclusion, the 2.8 mS.cm-1 nutritive solution and the 12 plants per pot density resulted in the best yield and leaves quality. Further enhancement of both experimental factors level even caused the reduction of water and nutrient efficiency use.