Magnetized nutrient solution and arbuscular mycorrhizal affect essential oil and physiological aspects of sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) grown in various P concentrations

Abstract

Nowadays, finding new ways to motivate the production of pharmaceutical compounds along with promoting growth in vegetables has been received more attention. An experiment was organized to find the effects of magnetic solution, arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi and phosphorus (P) concentration (0, 5, 10, 20, 40 mg L⁻¹) on essential oil production, nitrate reduction and rhizosphere conditions in sweet basil. The results showed that the growth of basil plant, nitrate content of shoots, rhizosphere conditions were significantly affected by both magnetic solutions and AM compared to the control. The value of basil's nutrition increased by nitrate reduction in magnetic field and AM fungi treatments. The application of magnetic solutions and inoculation of AM fungi increased P content in basil shoots and as a result, essential oil concentration at 10 and 20 mg P L⁻¹ increased 70.7% and 102.4%, respectively. The concomitant use of magnetic P solution and AM fungi at 20 mg L⁻¹ increased constituent of essential oils such as neral and caryophyllene 102.3% and 19.66%, respectively. Overall, AM fungi and magnetic solution demonstrate a natural way for improving the growth and production of essential oils in plants.

Keywords:

• Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi
• basil
• growth
• magnetic field;
• nutrient solution

Acknowledgments

We would like to acknowledge Prof. Youssef Rouphael, Department of Agriculture Science, University of Naples Federico II, Italy, for kindly providing ion chromatography device for mineral analysis and constructive suggestions in this work, during the six months sabbatical period at this university.

Disclosure statement

The authors declare no competing financial interest.

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Additional information

Funding

This research was supported by the Ministry of Science, Research and Technology of Iran (MSRT).