Effect of Seasonal Variation, Fertilization and Stages of Harvest on ‎Yield and Oil content of Ocimum basilicum (Sweet Basil) ‎

Abstract

Two field experiment were conducted in the Demonstration farm of Aromatic ‎and Medicinal Plant Research Institute at Shambat, to investigate: ‎ The effect of seasonal variation on growth and production of Ocimum ‎basilicum at three harvesting stage (before flowering, at 50% flowering and at ‎‎50% fruiting stage).‎ Effect of urea and chicken manure. On growth and production of Ocimum ‎basilicum at three harvesting stage (before flowering, at 50% flowering and at ‎‎50% fruiting stage).‎ Effect of seasonal variation in different harvesting stages revealed that ‎autumn months proved to give the best vegetative growth and oil content, ‎the best season for branching was the winter season, while summer season ‎months gave higher root growth intern of weight and length.‎ The fruiting stage gave higher herbage yield, while the highest essential oil ‎content was obtained at flowering stage in all growing seasons.‎ In the fertilizer experiment, addition of urea at 50kg/feddan in three doses, ‎resulted in an increase in the growth and herbage yield in the first and second ‎season and there was no effect significant on oil content. Fertilization by ‎chicken manure at 5 tones/feddan positively affected the growth, herbage ‎yield and percentage of oil content compared to urea and control.‎