Biomass production and essential oil composition of basil grown under shading nets and harvested at different times

ABSTRACT

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of harvest seasons and shading nets in the growth, production, content and chemical composition of essential oil of basil. The experiment was carried out in the experimental area of the Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná, Campus Dois Vizinhos. Four harvest dates (90, 120, 150 and 180 days after transplanting) and three shading nets (aluminet net, red net, black net and full sun), all with 50% irradiance were evaluated. The treatments were arranged in a split-plot 4x4 factorial design with three replications in randomized blocks. Cultivation under aluminized net favored the growth in height and diameter. Basil plants grown under full sun resulted in higher fresh and dry biomass and higher content of essential oil yield in relation to shading nets. The best harvesting period was at 120 days after transplanting and resulted in higher production of essential oil (0.77 g/planta) and citral content (78.26%). The major component of the essential oil was the citral obtained in plants grown under black net (73.25%), aluminized (72.14%) and full sun (71.86%).

Keywords:
Ocimum basilicum; citral; radiation; seasonality.