Effect of nutrition elicitation extraction intervals on essential oil production and value addition in holy basil Ocimum sanctum L

Abstract

The present investigation entitled Effect of nutrition, elicitation, extraction intervals on essential oil production and value addition in holy basil (Ocimum sanctum L.) was carried out at College of Horticulture, Venkataramannagudem, Dr YSR Horticultural University, West Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh during Kharif 2018-19 to 2019-20. newlineThe study was conducted to ascertain the best nutrient and elicitor levels, pre processing interval for maximum oil recovery and optimization of ocimum based herbal RTS. The study considered three graded levels of nitrogen (Nitrogen 100%, 75% and 50%) with three levels of micronutrients (copper at 5g, zinc at 5g, copper and zinc at 5 g each), three elicitor levels (Salicylic acid 50 ppm, 100 ppm and 150 ppm), three pre processing intervals (immediately after harvest, 24 hrs and 48 hrs) and eight blends of herbal RTS (10:5:40:45, 15:5:35:45, 20:5:30:45, 25:5:25:45, 5:10:40:45 5:15:35:45, 5:20:30:45 and 5:25:25:45) consists of ocimum, ginger, lemon and sugar. newlineThe study revealed that, quantitative parameters like plant height, number of branches per plant, fresh herb yield per plant, dry herb yield per plant and oil yield, physico-chemical parameters like leaf chlorophyll content, leaf area per plant, LAI, CGR, RGR and leaf ascorbic acid content and Nutritional parameters like nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, copper and zinc content in plant were significant with graded levels of nitrogen, micronutrients and salicylic acid at both the cuts. newlineInteraction of nitrogen with micronutrients, nitrogen with salicylic acid and micronutrients with salicylic acid recorded significant results in quantitative, physico-chemical and nutritional parameters at both the harvests newlineAmong the interaction effects, 100% nitrogen with copper and zinc at 5g with salicylic acid 100 ppm recorded significant results in quantitative parameters like plant height, number of branches plant per plant, fresh herb yield newlineper plant, dry herb yield per plant and oil yield, physico-chemical parameters like leaf chlorophy