Effect of organic and inorganic fertilizers on macro and micro nutrient uptake, oil content, quality and herbage yield in sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum)

An investigation was carried out during rabi season of 2005-06 to study the effect of organic manures (FYM and vermicompost) and inorganic fertilizer on macro and micro nutrient uptake, oil content and herbage yield in sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum). The treatments consisted of T(1) plot as control. Inorganic fertilizer was used in T(2) treatment (N 120 kg/ha, P(2)O(5) 60 kg/ha and K(2)O 105 kg/ha). Ten tonne FYM per hectare was applied in T(3) treatment. Three tonne vemicompost per hectare was applied in T(4) treatment, 5 t of FYM+NPK (N 60 kg/ha, P(2)O(5) 30 kg/ha and K(2)O 52.5 kg/ha) was in T(5) and T(6) - 1.5 t vermicompost/ha + NPK (N 60 kg/ha, P(2)O(5) 30 kg/ha and K(2)O 52.5 kg/ha). Macro and micro nutrients were estimated in leaf sample at peak flowering. NPK content was maximum in T(2) followed by T(6), whereas micro nutrient content was maximum in T(6) followed by T(5) for Fe and Mn. Zinc content was highest in T(5) and it was 49.33% followed by T(4) which was 47%. Herbage yield in quintal per hectare was maximum in T(2) followed by T(6). Oil content was recorded at intervals of 60, 75 and 90 DAT and maximum was recorded in T(6) followed by T(2) treatment.