Abstract
Ocimum basilicum L. and its derived products are primarily consumed by humans; hence, agrochemical use seems inappropriate for its cultivation. However, farmers are accustomed to using rampant inorganic fertilizers to augment crop productivity, which has unintendedly engendered severe environmental perturbations. Concomitantly, farmers will soon have to confront the challenges of growing crops under suboptimal conditions driven by global climate change. Consequently, to develop a clean, sustainable, and resilient production technology, field experiments spanning over two years (2020 and 2021) were conducted, comprising three biostimulants, viz ., vermicompost (0, 4, and 8 Mg ha −1 ), biofertilizer (uninoculated and inoculated), and liquid seaweed extract (without and at 7 ml L −1 ) in the Indian western Himalaya for the first time. Soil health indicators, leaf photosynthetic pigments, gaseous exchange, mineral contents, essential oil (EO) quantity, and composition were evaluated. Soil microbial respiration (SMR), microbial biomass carbon (MBC), organic carbon (OC), dehydrogenase (DHA), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and β-glucosidase activities were increased by 36.23, 83.98, 30.61, 42.69, 34.00, and 40.57%, respectively, when compared with the initial soil status. The net photosynthetic rate (Pn) was significantly increased with the highest (8 Mg ha −1 ) and moderate (4 Mg ha −1 ) vermicompost dosages by 13.96% and 4.56%, respectively, as compared with the unfertilized control (0 Mg ha −1 ). Likewise, the biofertilizer and seaweed extract also enhanced Pn by 15.09% and 10.09%, respectively. The crop’s key EO constituents, viz ., methyl chavicol and linalool, were significantly improved with the highest and moderate vermicompost rates of 2.71, 9.85%, and 1.18, 5.03%, respectively. Similarly, biofertilization and seaweed application also boosted methyl chavicol and linalool by 3.29, 8.67%, and 1.93, 3.66%, respectively. In both years, significantly higher herbage (8.86 and 11.25 Mg ha −1 ) and EO yield (113.78 and 154.87 kg ha −1 ) were recorded with a congregate treatment of the highest vermicompost dose, biofertilizer, and liquid seaweed extract. In conclusion, the integrated use of biostimulants having complementary properties can sustainably maximize the quantity and quality of O. basilicum and concomitantly ameliorate soil health. This study can inspire scientific communities and industries to develop second-generation biostimulant products, delivering better sustainability and resilience for a renaissance in agriculture.
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Claims 15
Claim · model-written summary
Soil microbial respiration increased relative to the initial soil status under the biostimulant treatments
- Taxon
- Ocimum basilicum
Ocimum basilicumt0 - Outcome
- Soil microbial respiration (SMR)e1
- Direction
- increasede1
- Value
- 36.23e1
- Comparator
- initial soil statuse1
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Ocimum basilicum L.”
e1“Soil microbial respiration (SMR), microbial biomass carbon (MBC), organic carbon (OC), dehydrogenase (DHA), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and β-glucosidase activities were increased by 36.23, 83.98, 30.61, 42.69, 34.00, and 40.57%, respectively, when compared with the initial soil status”
Claim · model-written summary
Microbial biomass carbon increased relative to the initial soil status under the biostimulant treatments
- Taxon
- Ocimum basilicumOcimum basilicumt0
- Outcome
- microbial biomass carbon (MBC)e1
- Direction
- increasede1
- Value
- 83.98e1
- Comparator
- initial soil statuse1
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Ocimum basilicum L.”
e1“Soil microbial respiration (SMR), microbial biomass carbon (MBC), organic carbon (OC), dehydrogenase (DHA), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and β-glucosidase activities were increased by 36.23, 83.98, 30.61, 42.69, 34.00, and 40.57%, respectively, when compared with the initial soil status”
Claim · model-written summary
Organic carbon increased relative to the initial soil status under the biostimulant treatments
- Taxon
- Ocimum basilicumOcimum basilicumt0
- Outcome
- organic carbon (OC)e1
- Direction
- increasede1
- Value
- 30.61e1
- Comparator
- initial soil statuse1
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Ocimum basilicum L.”
e1“Soil microbial respiration (SMR), microbial biomass carbon (MBC), organic carbon (OC), dehydrogenase (DHA), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and β-glucosidase activities were increased by 36.23, 83.98, 30.61, 42.69, 34.00, and 40.57%, respectively, when compared with the initial soil status”
Claim · model-written summary
Dehydrogenase activity increased relative to the initial soil status under the biostimulant treatments
- Taxon
- Ocimum basilicumOcimum basilicumt0
- Outcome
- dehydrogenase (DHA)e1
- Direction
- increasede1
- Value
- 42.69e1
- Comparator
- initial soil statuse1
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Ocimum basilicum L.”
e1“Soil microbial respiration (SMR), microbial biomass carbon (MBC), organic carbon (OC), dehydrogenase (DHA), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and β-glucosidase activities were increased by 36.23, 83.98, 30.61, 42.69, 34.00, and 40.57%, respectively, when compared with the initial soil status”
Claim · model-written summary
Alkaline phosphatase activity increased relative to the initial soil status under the biostimulant treatments
- Taxon
- Ocimum basilicumOcimum basilicumt0
- Outcome
- alkaline phosphatase (ALP)e1
- Direction
- increasede1
- Value
- 34.00e1
- Comparator
- initial soil statuse1
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Ocimum basilicum L.”
e1“Soil microbial respiration (SMR), microbial biomass carbon (MBC), organic carbon (OC), dehydrogenase (DHA), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and β-glucosidase activities were increased by 36.23, 83.98, 30.61, 42.69, 34.00, and 40.57%, respectively, when compared with the initial soil status”
Claim · model-written summary
Beta-glucosidase activity increased relative to the initial soil status under the biostimulant treatments
- Taxon
- Ocimum basilicumOcimum basilicumt0
- Outcome
- glucosidase activitiese1
- Direction
- increasede1
- Value
- 40.57e1
- Comparator
- initial soil statuse1
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Ocimum basilicum L.”
e1“Soil microbial respiration (SMR), microbial biomass carbon (MBC), organic carbon (OC), dehydrogenase (DHA), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and β-glucosidase activities were increased by 36.23, 83.98, 30.61, 42.69, 34.00, and 40.57%, respectively, when compared with the initial soil status”
Claim · model-written summary
Highest vermicompost dose (8 Mg/ha) increased net photosynthetic rate by 13.96% over the unfertilized control
- Taxon
- Ocimum basilicumOcimum basilicumt0
- Treatment
- vermicomposte2
- Outcome
- net photosynthetic rate (Pn)e2
- Direction
- increasede2
- Value
- 13.96%e2
- Qualifier
- highest (8 Mg ha −1)e2
- Comparator
- unfertilized controle2
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Ocimum basilicum L.”
e2“The net photosynthetic rate (Pn) was significantly increased with the highest (8 Mg ha −1) and moderate (4 Mg ha −1) vermicompost dosages by 13.96% and 4.56%, respectively, as compared with the unfertilized control (0 Mg ha −1)”
Claim · model-written summary
Moderate vermicompost dose (4 Mg/ha) increased net photosynthetic rate by 4.56% over the unfertilized control
- Taxon
- Ocimum basilicumOcimum basilicumt0
- Treatment
- vermicomposte2
- Outcome
- net photosynthetic rate (Pn)e2
- Direction
- increasede2
- Value
- 4.56%e2
- Qualifier
- moderate (4 Mg ha −1)e2
- Comparator
- unfertilized controle2
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Ocimum basilicum L.”
e2“The net photosynthetic rate (Pn) was significantly increased with the highest (8 Mg ha −1) and moderate (4 Mg ha −1) vermicompost dosages by 13.96% and 4.56%, respectively, as compared with the unfertilized control (0 Mg ha −1)”
Claim · model-written summary
Biofertilizer increased net photosynthetic rate by 15.09%
- Taxon
- Ocimum basilicumOcimum basilicumt0
- Treatment
- biofertilizere3
- Outcome
- Pne3
- Direction
- enhancede3
- Value
- 15.09%e3
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Ocimum basilicum L.”
e3“Likewise, the biofertilizer and seaweed extract also enhanced Pn by 15.09% and 10.09%, respectively”
Claim · model-written summary
Liquid seaweed extract increased net photosynthetic rate by 10.09%
- Taxon
- Ocimum basilicumOcimum basilicumt0
- Treatment
- seaweed extracte3
- Outcome
- Pne3
- Direction
- enhancede3
- Value
- 10.09%e3
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Ocimum basilicum L.”
e3“Likewise, the biofertilizer and seaweed extract also enhanced Pn by 15.09% and 10.09%, respectively”
Claim · model-written summary
Highest and moderate vermicompost rates improved methyl chavicol and linalool content of the essential oil
- Taxon
- Ocimum basilicumOcimum basilicumt0
- Treatment
- vermicomposte4
- Outcome
- methyl chavicol and linaloole4
- Direction
- improvede4
- Value
- 2.71, 9.85%, and 1.18, 5.03%e4
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Ocimum basilicum L.”
e4“The crop’s key EO constituents, viz ., methyl chavicol and linalool, were significantly improved with the highest and moderate vermicompost rates of 2.71, 9.85%, and 1.18, 5.03%, respectively”
Claim · model-written summary
Biofertilization and seaweed application increased methyl chavicol and linalool content of the essential oil
- Taxon
- Ocimum basilicumOcimum basilicumt0
- Treatment
- biofertilization and seaweed applicatione5
- Outcome
- methyl chavicol and linaloole5
- Direction
- boostede5
- Value
- 3.29, 8.67%, and 1.93, 3.66%e5
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Ocimum basilicum L.”
e5“biofertilization and seaweed application also boosted methyl chavicol and linalool by 3.29, 8.67%, and 1.93, 3.66%”
Claim · model-written summary
Congregate treatment of highest vermicompost, biofertilizer and seaweed extract gave higher herbage yield in both years
- Taxon
- Ocimum basilicumOcimum basilicumt0
- Treatment
- congregate treatment of the highest vermicompost dose, biofertilizer, and liquid seaweed extracte6
- Outcome
- herbagee6
- Direction
- highere6
- Value
- 8.86 and 11.25 Mg ha −1e6
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Ocimum basilicum L.”
e6“In both years, significantly higher herbage (8.86 and 11.25 Mg ha −1) and EO yield (113.78 and 154.87 kg ha −1) were recorded with a congregate treatment of the highest vermicompost dose, biofertilizer, and liquid seaweed extract”
Claim · model-written summary
Congregate treatment of highest vermicompost, biofertilizer and seaweed extract gave higher essential oil yield in both years
- Taxon
- Ocimum basilicumOcimum basilicumt0
- Treatment
- congregate treatment of the highest vermicompost dose, biofertilizer, and liquid seaweed extracte6
- Outcome
- EO yielde6
- Direction
- highere6
- Value
- 113.78 and 154.87 kg ha −1e6
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Ocimum basilicum L.”
e6“In both years, significantly higher herbage (8.86 and 11.25 Mg ha −1) and EO yield (113.78 and 154.87 kg ha −1) were recorded with a congregate treatment of the highest vermicompost dose, biofertilizer, and liquid seaweed extract”
Claim · model-written summary
Integrated use of complementary biostimulants can sustainably maximize quantity and quality of Ocimum basilicum
- Taxon
- Ocimum basilicumOcimum basilicumt0
- Treatment
- integrated use of biostimulantse7
- Outcome
- quantity and qualitye7
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Ocimum basilicum L.”
e7“the integrated use of biostimulants having complementary properties can sustainably maximize the quantity and quality of O. basilicum”
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See all 9 papers →8 of 9 groups shown: named compounds and organisms first, then groups whose results differ (checked claim by claim), then those with positive and negative results, then the smaller groups.
Claims are grouped by organism, treatment and what was measured or targeted. A paper counts as positive when any of its claims in the group is positive.