Effect of Nano-chalating technology based fertilizer on growth, dry matter and nutrient uptake of sweet basil under drought

Effect of Nano-chalating technology based fertilizer on growth, dry matter and nutrient uptake of sweet basil under drought

Ocimum basilicum L. (sweet basil) is an essential oil producing crop used in culinary and fragrance applications. The objective of this controlled environment study was to evaluate the effects of nano-chelating fertilization (applied at two foliar spraying rates, 1‰ and 2‰ and fertigation at two rates of 1.5 and 3 kg/ha) comprising main-treatments and three levels of irrigation; irrigation at 60, 75 and 90% of FC as subtreatments on plant growth, essential oil yield and chemical profile, and tissue nutrient accumulation in sweet basil. Overall, basil plants fertilized with nano-fertilizer at a rate of 1.5 kg/ha accumulated greater concentrations of potassium (K) and manganese (Mn). The highest fresh weight was obtained from the plants grown with conventional fertilizer at a rate of 3 kg/ha. Treatments did not affect the oil content in dried biomass (0.23–0.36% range), oil yields (11.4–20.7 mg/pot), nor the concentration of eucalyptol, (β)-linalool, bornyl acetate, eugenol, α-trans-bergamotene, germacrene D, β-cadinene and epi- β-cadinol in basil oil. The results from this study demonstrated that organic or conventional fertilizer can alter fresh or dry weight, and nutrient absorption without modifying essential oil composition