Effect of Mulching and Nutrition on Essential Oil Yield, Quality and Nutrient Uptake in Sweet Basil (Ocimum basilicum L.)
Nayana H *
Department of Plantation, Spices, Medicinal and Aromatic Crops, College of Horticulture, UHS Campus Bengaluru-560065, India.
Maruthi Prasad B. N
Department of Plantation, Spices, Medicinal and Aromatic Crops, College of Horticulture, UHS Campus Bengaluru-560065, India.
Halesh G. K
Department of Crop Improvement and Biotechnology, College of Horticulture, UHS Campus Bengaluru-560065, India.
Shivanna M
Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, College of Horticulture, UHS Campus Bengaluru-560065, India.
Harish B. S
Department of Plantation, Spices, Medicinal and Aromatic Crops, College of Horticulture, UHS Campus Bengaluru-560065, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
A field experiment was conducted at College of Horticulture, Bengaluru to investigate the influence of different mulches and nutrition on essential oil yield, quality and nutrient uptake in sweet basil. The treatment combinations consisted of four different mulches viz., no mulch, black plastic, silver plastic and organic mulch (spent lemon grass) each with four different nutrient levels viz., 100 percent Recommended dose of fertilizers (RDF), combination of 75 percent RDF with humic acid, 75 percent RDF with microbial consortia and 75 percent RDF, humic acid and microbial consortia. Use of black plastic mulch recorded maximum essential oil content (1.13 %), yield (97.21 kg/ha), nitrogen (54.56 kg/ha), phosphorous (37.71 kg/ha) and potassium (57.85 kg/ha) uptake. Application of 75 percent RDF with humic acid resulted in maximum essential oil content (1.21 %) whereas, 75 percent RDF with humic acid and microbial consortia recorded maximum essential oil yield (79.03 kg/ha), phosphorous (24.82 kg/ha) and potassium (48.88 kg/ha) uptake. Maximum nitrogen uptake was found in plants applied with 100 percent RDF. Among interaction, maximum essential oil content (1.44 %) and yield (109.92 kg/ha) was noticed in combination of black plastic mulch with 75 percent RDF and humic acid. The highest methyl chavicol content (73.85%) was observed in plants grown on black plastic mulch along with application of 75 percent RDF and microbial consortia.
Keywords: Humic acid, methyl chavicol, microbial consortia, mulch, sweet basil