THE EFFECT OF NITROGEN FERTILIZATION AND IRRIGATION ON YIELDING AND NUTRITIONAL STATUS OF SWEET BASIL (Ocimum basilicum L.)

Sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) is an annual plant belonging to the plant family Lamiaceae. There are many varieties of basil, with leaves of colour from green to purple and with small white or pink flower. In field experiment conducted in the years 2007-2008 there was investigated the effect of nitrogen fertilization in the doses of 50, 150 and 250 kg N.ha(-1) and irrigation on yielding and nutritional status of basil of 'Red Rubin' cultivar grown from transplants. Basil positively responded to irrigation and the increase in its yield under the influence of irrigation amounted from 97.37% to 25.36% in subsequent years of cultivation. Also the dose of nitrogen did advantageously affect basil herb :field. The highest yields were recorded at the dose of 150-250 kg N.ha(-1). The highest amount of nitrates ranged from 697.00 to 938.00 mg.kg(-1) f.m. was determined in plants fertilized with nitrogen dose of 250 kg N.ha(-1). The level of macroelements depended both on irrigation and on nitrogen doses. Irrigation caused decreased amounts of phosphorus, potassium and calcium, while content of magnesium increased. The highest quantities of phosphorus and magnesium were obtained at nitrogen dose of 150 kg N.ha(-1), while for the highest values of potassium and calcium nitrogen dose was 250 kg N.ha(-1).