VEGETOS: Um Jornal Internacional de Pesquisa Vegetal

Efficacy of Biofertilizers and Organic Additive Application in Sweet Basil (Ocimum Basilicum L.) Cultivation Depending on the Type of Soil

Hanna Sulewska, Karolina Ratajczak, Grażyna Szymańska and Katarzyna Panasiewicz

Basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) is one of the most important medicinal and aromatic plants of a considerable economic role; therefore research on this plant is required, especially because of the continuous and increasing demand for such products. Literature sources lack information on the improvement of growth conditions for sweet basil with no requirement for preparations containing chemicals, which is of particular importance in organic farming, in which the application of synthetic pesticides and artificial fertilizers are banned. Biofertilizers (UG Max, EM1, PRP SOL) were tested in two-year pot experiments with different types of soil. The aim of the study was to evaluate the efficacy of the application of biofertilizers and organic additives in basil grown on different types of soil. The addition of straw to mineral soil provided an effect comparable to cultivation in organic soil, in which greater dry mass of leaved shoots of basil was obtained than in mineral soil. The application of all tested biofertilizers, particularly UG Max, in growing basil on mineral soil provides a similar yield of dry mass of leaves as that grown on organic or mineral soil with an addition of straw.