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Ocimum species are used in traditional Iranian medicine, as a culinary herb, and as a well-known source of flavoring principles. Horticultural characteristics, including quantitative and qualitative traits along with the chemical variation of phenolic acids, of 23 accessions of basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) from Iran were studied. Morphological studies of accessions showed a high level of variability in recorded traits. Quantification of phenolic acids was determined using high-performance liquid chromatography and showed drastic variations between accessions. Chemical studies revealed that rosmarinic acid is the predominant phenolic acid present in both flower and leaf tissues. Unusual basil accessions were identified that can serve as genetic sources of phenolic acids for crop improvement.

The greenhouse experiments were carried out to study the effects foliar application of L-cysteine, L-methionine and Aminoacid fertilizer (AA) on Broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica) transplants. L-cysteine, L-methionine and AA was applied at three concentrations, 0, 100 and 200 mg L -1 commencing from 20 days after the sowing. Physical and chemical properties of the transplants determined according to the methods described by Tabatabaee. Results showed that L-cysteine at concentrations of 100 and 200 mg L -1 increased the leaf area by 53% and 48%, while methionine and the amino-acid-bearing fertilizer, both at 200 mg L -1 , increased the leaf area by 59% and 48% respectively. These percentages are expressed in comparison to the control. L-cysteine at concentrations of 100 and 200 mg L -1 increased the fresh weight of shoots by 50% and 55%, respectively, while methionine at 100 and 200 mg L -1 increased the fresh weight of shoots by 55% and 60% respectively. The amino-acid-bearing fertilizer treatments at a concentration of 200 mg L -1 increased the shoot dry weight of Broccoli seedlings by 38%, L-cysteine at concentrations of 100 and 200 mg L -1 increased the root dry weight by 26% and 60%, methionine at 100 and 200 mg L -1 increased the root dry weight by 31% and 177%. The results showed that methionine at 200 mg L -1 increased chlorophyll by 61%. The amino-acid-bearing fertilizer at a concentration of 200 mg L -1 managed to increase the length of transplants by 30%, compared to the control. Methionine at 100 and 200 mg.L -1 increased the amount of nitrogen in transplanted Broccoli by 36% and 38%.

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Plants produce various phytochemicals that are of nutritional and medicinal value to humans. Phytochemicals having antioxidant capacity are drawing increased interest from consumers. Population studies among Americans have consistently demonstrated inadequate consumption of fruit and vegetables. Improving intake of fruit and vegetables has been a major public health effort for many years with minimal success. Given this, it seems opportunistic to consider other approaches to enhance the nutritional quality of the American diet. One plausible approach is the development of fresh produce containing a greater concentration of phytochemicals known to improve health, thus while consuming fewer servings of produce, Americans would still have significant exposure to health-promoting food constituents. Controlled environments provide a unique opportunity to modify the concentrations of selected phytochemicals in fruit and vegetables, yet practical information is limited regarding methods effective in optimizing antioxidant capacity. Our research at the University of Arizona Controlled Environment Agriculture Program has shown that application of moderate salt stress to tomato plants can enhance lycopene and potentially other antioxidant concentrations in fruit. The increase in lycopene in response to salt stress in the tomato fruit was shown to be cultivar specific, varying from 34% to 85%. Although the specific biological mechanisms involved in increasing fruit lycopene deposition has not been clearly elucidated, evidence suggests that increasing antioxidant concentrations is a primary physiological response of the plant to the salt stress. Another experiment showed that low temperature during postharvest increased antioxidant capacity of tomato fruit while it maintained the lycopene concentration. More detailed study in this area is needed including accumulation of antioxidant phytochemicals as affected by environmental conditions during the cultivation and the postharvest.

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A greenhouse experiment was carried out to determine the influence of replacing 80% of urea in broccoli fertilization with L-cysteine and L-methionine foliar spray at two concentrations 100 and 200 mgL-1 and amino acid containing fertilizer (AA) at 750 and 1500 mgL-1 on yield, nitrate accumulation, dry weight of head, vitamin C, phenolic compounds and total acidity. Replacing 80% of urea with AA increased the total acidity significantly (P ≤ 0.05). Elimination of 80% urea but foliar spray of cysteine (100 and 200 mgL-1), methionine (200) the percentage of dry weight significantly (P ≤ 0.05). Urea (250 kg ha-1) plus amino acids and amino acid Alone in Comparison with control (just 50 kg ha-1 urea) increased significantly (P ≤ 0.05) Yield. The content of vitamin C, decrease significantly (P ≤ 0.05) by the urea (250 kg ha-1) application with amino acids. Application of amino acid containing fertilizer (750 and 1500 mgL-1) along with urea (250 kg ha-1) increased nitrate accumulation.