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. 2025 Jan 22;25(1):84.
doi: 10.1186/s12870-025-06064-1.

Enhancing growth, yield, essential oil content, and composition of holy basil (Ocimum tenuiflorum L.) using red algae-based bio-stimulant under acidic conditions of the Western Himalayas

Saizal Jamwal  1 , Avnesh Kumari  2 , Veeraprakasam Veeragurunathan  3 , Kamalesh Prasad  3 , Arup Ghosh  4 , Rakesh Kumar  5
Affiliations

Enhancing growth, yield, essential oil content, and composition of holy basil (Ocimum tenuiflorum L.) using red algae-based bio-stimulant under acidic conditions of the Western Himalayas

Saizal Jamwal et al. BMC Plant Biol. .

Abstract

Background: The rising costs of synthetic fertilizers highlight the need for eco-friendly alternatives to enhance essential oil production in aromatic plants. This study evaluated the effects of red algae seaweed extract [Solieria chordalis (C. Agardh) J. Agardh] on holy basil (Ocimum tenuiflorum L.) in the Western Himalayas, by using five concentrations (0.0, 2.5, 5.0, 7.5, and 10.0 mL/L) and two application methods (drenching and foliar spray) in a factorial randomized block design analysing data at 5% significance level. Seaweed extract significantly improved growth and yield, with the highest essential oil content and biomass. By examining various concentrations and application techniques, the study seeks to determine the best practices for maximizing essential oil production.

Results: Application of S. chordalis at 7.5 mL/L, increased essential oil content by 71.4% and biomass by 63.4% compared to the control. The foliar application also resulted in 50% higher essential oil content than drenching. Application of S. chordalis at 7.5 mL/L significantly enhanced essential oil components like eugenol, methyl eugenol, and methyl cinnamate by 61.5%, 17.6% and, 48.4%, respectively, compared to control. Based on the results of the present study, the foliar application of 7.5 mL/L seaweed extract is recommended for optimizing holy basil growth, biomass yield, essential oil content and composition.

Conclusions: Based on the results of the present study, the foliar application of 7.5 mL/L seaweed extract is recommended for optimizing holy basil growth, biomass yield, essential oil content and composition. This study encourages the utilization of bio-stimulants, enhancing sustainability, and resilience in agriculture.

Keywords: Solieria chordalis; Drenching; Essential oil; Seaweed; Trichome density; Tulsi.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: This study did not require ethics approval as it involved no human participants or sensitive data. Consent for publication: Not applicable. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Monthly mean maximum and minimum temperature (°C), bright sunshine (BSS) hours (h), rainfall (mm), and relative humidity (RH %) during the cropping season of 2022 at Palampur, India
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Effect of S. chordalis on density of glandular trichomes of O. tenuiflorum. T1: Drenching with distilled water, T2: Drenching SC @ 2.5 mL/L, T3: Drenching SC @ 5.0 mL/L, T4: Drenching SC @7.5 mL/L, T5: Drenching SC @ 10.0 mL/L, T6: Foliar application with distilled water, T7: Foliar application SC @ 2.5 mL/L, T8: Foliar application SC @ 5 mL/L, T9: Foliar application SC @ 7.5 mL/L, T10: Foliar application SC @ 10.0 mL/L
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Representative chromatogram of O. tenuiflorum
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Bi-plot of principal components based on mean value of composition of O. tenuiflorum. PCA explains 97.1% of the data variation. T1: Drenching with distilled water, T2: Drenching SC @ 2.5 mL/L, T3: Drenching SC @ 5.0 mL/L, T4: Drenching SC @7.5 mL/L, T5: Drenching SC @ 10.0 mL/L, T6: Foliar application with distilled water, T7: Foliar application SC @ 2.5 mL/L, T8: Foliar application SC @ 5.0 mL/L, T9: Foliar application SC @ 7.5 mL/L, T10: Foliar application SC @ 10.0 mL/L
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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