Nutritional Value and Mineral Concentrations of Sweet Basil Under Organic Compared to Chemical Fertilization

Abstract

Safe production of leafy vegetables is more important than other horticultural crops due to their significant contribution in health promotion of consumers. In present study, the growth and nutritional quality of sweet basil plants (Ocimum basilicum L.) were evaluated under some organic compared to chemical NPK fertilizing treatments. A non cultivated soil was used in the experiment, and treatments were arranged in completely randomized design with four replications. Manure in 20 and 40% of pot volume, vermicompost in 20 and 40% of pot volume, biophosphate, NPK fertilizer and a no fertilizing control were applied to plants. The results showed that plant growth and biochemical characteristics were differently affected by organic and chemical fertilization treatments. Vermicompost particularly in 20% of pot volume resulted in highest growth and quality parameters, while the lowest values recorded in 40% manure treatment. The leaf content of ascorbic acid, essential oil, protein and minerals (P, K, Mn, Cu) were highest in 20% vermicompost, whereas leaf content of Mg, Fe and Zn was highest in 40% vermicompost treatment. Leaf nitrate content was significantly reduced in all organic treatments than NPK fertilization. Biophosphate also improved the yield and quality traits compared to unfertilized plants, while manure in both quantities reduced most of the traits (leaf vitamin C, oil yield and protein content) except the content of phenols. This indicates that processing as vermicompost can be a better way of manure application for basil production.

Effects of Different Rates of Poultry Manure and Split Applications of Urea Fertilizer on Soil Chemical Properties, Growth, and Yield of Maize

“…This research work supports the findings of [ 43 , 44 ] that integrated nutrient application gave higher crop yield compared with the recommended sole inorganic and organic fertilizers. The authors also reported that an integrated application of organic and inorganic fertilizer would build up soil productivity and quality on a long-term basis.…”

Variability of Physical and Chemical Properties of TLUD Stove Derived Biochars

“…Besides nitrogen, plants use five other nutrients in relatively large amounts: phosphorus, potassium, sulphur, calcium and magnesium [61]. In terms of phosphorus and potassium content, the results showed medium values ranging between cow manure and vermicompost, as used by Naiji and Souri [62] in their investigation. Table 6.…”

Effect of starter nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer rates on yield and yield components, grain protein content of groundnut (Arachis Hypogaea L.) and residual soil nitrogen content in a semiarid north Ethiopia

“…Similarly, separate individual application of P fertilizer at the rate of 46 kg P 2 O 5 ha −1 resulted in average soil N content of 29.2 kg ha −1 . It is a fact that under poor soil conditions, application of N and P fertilizers at small rates can increase plant root growth and development, as well as BNF efficiency ( Pourranjbari Saghaiesh et al., 2019 ; Aslani and Souri, 2018 ; Naiji and Souri, 2018 ). Our results indicated that with the application of starter N and P fertilizers residual soil N is enhanced after harvesting of groundnut.…”