Abstract
Abstract
Basil (Ocimum basilicum L.), a leafy plant used for fresh food, medicinal purposes, and aromatic purposes (including the extraction of volatile essential oil and active compounds), was the subject of a worker experiment at the College of Education for Pure Sciences Ibn Al-Haitham / University of Baghdad during the 2023 growing season. The experiment aimed to determine the effects of spraying the basil plant’s vegetative system with aqueous extracts of watercress and parsley on the plant’s growth characteristics and the production of active compounds. The experiment included two factors, the first factor, the aqueous extract of the watercress plant in three concentrations (0, 5, 10) g l-1 and the second factor, the aqueous extract of the parsley plant with three concentrations (0, 5, 10) g l-1. Spraying with watercress extract and parsley achieved a significant effect in increasing all measured growth qualities and producing active compounds, and the interaction treatment (5 g l-1 watercress extract and 10 g l-1 parsley extract) had a clear significant superiority, which recorded the highest values in the mean number of leaves (54.00 leaf), the percentage of dry matter (29.30%), estimation of chlorophyll (38.23 SPAD), volatile oil (1.60%) and ratios of Linalool, Methylcinnamate and camphor compounds in volatile oil (8.33, 72.98, 3.00%) respectively compared to the control treatment recorded (28.67 leaf, 18.267%, 26.433 SPAD, 0.60%, 6.02%, 70. 16%, 1.58%) respectively for the same characteristics. The results of the study showed the response of the basil plant to spraying with plant extracts as a supplement to half the fertilizer recommendation of mineral fertilizer and giving it the best results when treating the combination (5 g l-1 watercress extract and 10 g l-1 parsley extract).