BASIL HYDROPONICS CROPS EFFECT (Ocimum basilicum L.) ON ESSENTIAL OIL QUALITY AND YIELD

Abstract

Basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) is an aromatic plant whose fresh, dried leaves and essential oils are used in the manufacture of medicines, perfumes, food and beverage flavoring. Although worldwide consumption and production is increasing considerably, Mexico intensive cultivation of this species is emerging. From this perspective, this study raises, with the objective of evaluating the production of basil grown in hydroponic greenhouse under an open system using volcanic rock as substrate. D1, D2 and D3 (14, 28 and 71 plants m^-2, respectively) and two concentrations Steiner nutrient solution (S1: 100% and S2: 50%) three planting densities were evaluated. A factorial arrangement 3x2 was used with four replicates per treatment. The results show that the highest values ??for plant height were presented with S1 D1 and D2; for fresh and dry weight of the aerial part were the treatments S1 D1, S1 and S2 D1 D2 which threw the higher S1 and D1 values ??greater leaf area was obtained. In the quantification of essential oils 14.03 mg was obtained essential oil, per gram of dry matter, the major component was linalool. The use of hydroponics with an increase in plant density, can generate up to 70.21 ton ha, increasing production by more than 600%, with the economic gains that this represents.