Effect of nutrient solutions and humic acid on growth, productivity and some chemical constituents of sweet basil under nutrient film technique conditions

Abstract EN

The present work was conducted at the Laboratory of Horticulture Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Zagazig University during the two successive seasons of ٢٠١٢and ٢٠١٣.

It aims to study the effect of some nutrient solutions (١٥٠ and ٣٠٠ ml/l) and humic acid (HA) concentrations (٠, ١٠٠ and ٢٠٠ ppm) as well as their combinations on growth characters, productivity and some chemical constituents of Ocimum basilicum L.

cv.

Genovese under nutrient film technique (NFT) system.

The data recorded were growth characters (plant height, number of leaves/ plant, branch number/ plant, leaf area and leaf fresh and dry weight/plant), productivity (yield fresh and dry weight/ plant and (%) of oil content) and some chemical constituents (total chlorophyll, NPK and total carbohydrates content).

The obtained results came to conclusion that, using the treatment of nutrient solution at ٣٠٠ ml/ l recorded significant increase in growth characters, productivity and some chemical constituents of Ocimum basilicum L.

cv.

Genovese as compared to the other treatments (١٥٠ ml/l) under study in most cases.

HA also, enhanced the efficiency of the nutrient solution and increased leaf area, number of leaves/plant and branch number/ plant