Effect of eco-engineering systems on growth and productivity of basil (Ocimum basilicum L.)

The main aim of this study is to determine the favourable cultivation system and irrigation levels for cultivate basil plants at soilless technique. To achieve this, the effect of three different soilless cultivation systems (aeroponics, hydroponics, and greenhouse cultivation) and three different water discharges (3, 4, and 5 L h-1 plant-1) on shoot and root lengths, stem diameter, and chlorophyll content during different growth periods (10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 days), also, fresh and dry mass, and fertilizer consumption rate (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, and magnesium) at the end of the growth phase (50 days) were studied. The experiments concluded that the best soilless cultivation system was the aeroponic system at a water flow rate of 4 L h-1 plant-1, which achieved the longest vegetative group of 67.45 cm, the root group of 48.21 cm, the stem diameter of 3.7 mm, the chlorophyll in the leaves of 39.43 SPAD, the fresh mass of the vegetative group of 483.25 g, the dry mass of the vegetative group of 118.93 g, the fresh mass of the root group of 379.3 g, the dry mass of the root group of 103.45 g, and the consumption rate of fertilizer elements (nitrogen 723.64 mg, phosphorus 251.2 mg, potassium 754.29 mg, calcium 519.73 mg, and magnesium 223.66 mg).