Foliar application of organic liquid nutrient affects selected vitamins and antioxidants in two basils (Ocimum gratissimum L. and Ocimum basilicum L.)

Abstract

Study was conducted from December 2021 to June 2022 at the screen house of Osun State
University, College of Agriculture to evaluate the influence of foliar application of organic liquid
nutrient concentrations on the selected vitamins and antioxidant in two species of Ocimum. The
experiment was laid out in a Complete Randomized Design (CRD) in ten replications with four
treatments of organic liquid nutrient, with varied concentrations (T1: 5 ml/10 liters of water, T2:
10 ml/10 liters of water, T3: 15 ml/10 liters of water and Control: 0 ml). The two species of Ocimum
leaf seedlings were nursed for five weeks and were transplanted into each pot at the nursery house.
Results showed that for the antioxidant components, alkaloid was higher in O. basilicum with a
value of 3.74% compared to O. gratissimum with a value of 3.60% under plants that did not receive
organic liquid nutrient. For saponin, both species of Ocimum did not differ significantly (P<_0.05).
For plants that received 15 ml/ litre of organic nitrogen, O. basilicum had 8.81% of flavonoid while
O. gratissimum had 8.73%. Phenol was also higher in O. basilicum than O. gratissimum. For vitamins
and carotene contents of Ocimum gratissimum and Ocimum basilicum, 10ml of liquid organic
nutrient had a considerable effect on increasing parameters of both basils. Results showed in
Ocimum gratisimum, carotene (mg/100g) was significantly highest at 0ml of liquid organic nutrient
(16.37) and lowest at 5ml of liquid organic nutrient (13.33) compared to Ocimum basilicum at 0ml
of liquid organic nutrient (13.77). Vitamin C and E was significantly higher in Ocimum basilicum at
0ml nutrient concentration (0.07-27.37) compared to Ocimum gratissimum at 5ml nutrient
concentration (0.027) and 15ml nutrient concentration (20.23) respectively.