Growth, yield and essential oil content of three cultivars of basil grown under different levels of nitrogen in the field

摘要: Abstract A field experiment was conducted in Southern Italy to investigate the effect of different nitrogen (N) rates (0, 100 or 300 kg ha −1 ) on number branchings and leaves per plant, plant height, yield above-ground fresh biomass, total leaf area, dry weight, leaf-to-stem ratio, essential oil content quality at commercial harvest (full bloom) three cultivars basil ( Ocimum basilicum L.): (i) “Mostruoso mammouth” (MM); (ii) “Genovese profumatissimo” (GP); (iii) “Napoletano a foglia di lattuga” (NFL). Nitrogen fertilization up increased yield, but it did not affect height plant. The increase induced by N depended an both concentration biomass. LAI with increasing due rather than individual expansion. cultivar GP morphology from MM NFL, since had greater lower ratio LAI. physiological efficiency use (PE) producing biomass related application whereas PE (PE-oil) tended levels applied. With regard cultivar, less efficient for production NFL PE-oil while PE-biomass were higher other cultivars. richest methyl chavicol lowest linalool, contained linalool eugenol.