Yield and nutritional quality of aeroponically cultivated basil as affected by the available root-zone volume

Abstract

This study investigates the effect of the available root zone volume on yield and quality characteristics of aeroponically cultivated sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum, L.) plants. Growth and photosynthesis were also evaluated. At a fully automated glasshouse aeroponic growing system, plants were cultivated in canals with 10 m length, 0.67 m width for depths: of 0.15 m, 0.30 m and 0.70 m. Plants cultivated in growing canals with the lower depths 0.15 m and 0.30 m, gave increased dry biomass production; plant height; root length; leaves per plant; total chlorophyll content; net photosynthesis rate; transpiration rate and stomatal conductance, in comparison with plants cultivated in canals with the maximum depth of 0.70 m. In contrast, plants cultivated in 0.70 m depth canals showed statistically increased root dry biomass production. No significant differences were determined for the total leaf phenolics content. Essential oil content was determined at 0.83%, 0.79% and 0.80% (v/w) for the three growing canals (0.15m, 0.30m and 0.70m depth) respectively, characterized by high linalool content (63.85 %, 67.02 % and 66.58 % respectively). Our results shown that basil plants grown aeroponically are of superior nutritional quality characteristics.