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Two pot experiments were carried out at Ornamental Nursery, Faculty of Agriculture, Zagazig University, Egypt, during the two consecutive seasons of 2016/2017 and 2017/2018 to study the effect of different saline irrigation water levels (0.0, 1000, 2000 and 3000 ppm), proline concentrations (0.0, 100 and 200 ppm) and their combinations on plant growth, salt resistance index, volatile oil production, photosynthetic pigments and proline content of sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum, L) plant. Plastic pots in 40 cm diameter filled with 6 kg clay soil were used in this experiment. This experiment was set up in a split-plot design with three replicates. The main plots were occupied by saline water levels and the sub plots were entitled to proline concentrations. The results showed a significant decrease in most studied plant growth parameters (plant height, number of branches/plant and herb and root dry weight/plant), salt resistance index, volatile oil production (volatile oil percentage and volatile oil yield/plant) and photosynthetic pigments (Chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b) with increasing the levels of salinity, but an opposite impact occurred with increasing the proline concentrations. Also, proline content was decreased as increasing the levels of salinity to reach the maximum values with 3000 ppm salinity level. However, for the combination among the levels of saline water and proline, the combination treatment (1000 ppm salinity level + 100 ppm proline) showed the highest increment in the growth and productivity of sweet basil plant under Sharkia Governorate conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to inspect the suitability of sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) for phytoremediation of heavy metal contaminated areas in urban areas of Egypt through study the impact of the most common pollutants in Egypt: cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) on morphological traits, and essential oil (EOs) content of sweet basil. The experiment was done under greenhouse conditions. The applied treatments tested in this experiment for Cd concentrations were 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 ppm and for Pb: 100, 350, 750, 1,000, 1,500 ppm. The composition and amount of EOs had been determined using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The results indicated that the contaminated soil had a negative impact on morphological traits development of basil (e.g., the decline in fresh and dry weight). The increase in Cd and Pb concentrations enhanced the EOs yield of sweet basil. In general, basil cultivation in the Cd and Pb contaminated soils could cause undesirable impacts on morphological traits; however, the presence of these metals has a major influence on the EOs yield, composition, and phytoremediation of the soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Soil Sciences & Agricultural Engineering is the property of Egyptian National Agricultural Library (ENAL) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Context: Some studies reported the chemical content and antimicrobial properties of Ocimum basilicum L. (Lamiaceae), relevant to the ecological variations in some areas of Egypt and other countries, yet no research was conducted on the plant cultivated in the central delta region of Egypt. Also, no previous data reported on inhibition of b-lactamases by O. basilicum. Objective: To assess b-lactamases inhibition by O. basilicum extracts and the individual constituents. Materials and methods: Dried aerial parts of O. basilicum were extracted by hydrodistillation for preparation of essential oil and by methanol for non-volatile constituents. Essential oil content and the methanol extract were analysed by GC-MS and UPLC-PDA-MS/MS, respectively. Methyl cinnamate was isolated and analysed by NMR. Broth microdilution method was used to investigate the antimicrobial against resistant clinical isolates of Escherichia coli identified by double disc synergy, combination disc tests and PCR. The most active oil content was further tested with a nitrocefin kit for b-lactamase inhibition and investigated by docking. Results: O. basilicum was found to contain methyl cinnamate as the major content of the essential oil. More interestingly, methyl cinnamate inhibited ESBL b-lactamases of the type CTX-M. The in vitro IC50 using nitrocefin kit was 11.6 mg/mL vs. 8.1 mg/mL for clavulanic acid as a standard b-lactamase inhibitor. Discussion and conclusions: This is the first study to report the inhibitory activity of O. basilicum oil and methyl cinnamate against b-lactamase-producing bacteria. The results indicate that methyl cinnamate could be a potential alternative for b-lactamase inhibition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Plant Production is the property of Egyptian National Agricultural Library (ENAL) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Biological control is a natural method that suppresses pests and is a practical, eco-friendly, and cost-effective substitute for insecticide-based approaches. The present investigations were carried out to evaluate the potential impact of three natural enemies; Aphidius colemani Viereck, Chrysoperla carnea (Steph.) on Aphis gossypii Glover under semi-field circumstances and Beauveria bassiana Balsamo (Vuillemin) on Bemisia tabaci (Genn.) under field conditions. The study was done on sweet basil plants during the season of 2022 at Zagazig district, Sharkia Governorate, Egypt. The results revealed that the maximum parasitism percentage of A. colemani was achieved at a rate of 12 parasitoids/cage, whereas the highest percentage of emergence was recorded at a rate of three parasitoids/cage. Data also showed that the reduction percentages of cotton aphid numbers declined as the rate of C. carnea increased. Moreover, B. bassiana caused from 49.19 to 95.20% reduction in the mean numbers of B. tabaci. Therefore, A. colemani, C. carnea, and B. bassiana are being promoted for the management of the major piercing-sucking insects on sweet basil plants under Egyptian field conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Basil (Ocimum sp.) exhibits significant morphological and genetic diversity. This variation provides an opportunity to identify novel traits that can be used in breeding programs to improve the productivity, quality, and disease resistance of basil plants. The integration of morphological and genetic data for basil varieties can improve our understanding of biodiversity, conservation, and breeding programs. Results: In 2019, we conducted a comprehensive investigation on 25 basil landraces collected from 12 Egyptian governorates to explore their morphological and genetic diversity. Morphological characterization revealed variability in plant vigor, flower color, cyme shape, and leaf shape, indicating distinct growth patterns and potential for specific applications. Productivity and biochemical evaluation demonstrated significant variation in yield and oil distillation, identifying top-performing landraces L5, L11, and L24 that can be used in breeding programs to optimize performance and reduce environmental impact. The genetic diversity of the landraces was investigated using 11 SCoT primers revealed high levels of genetic diversity among landraces, with a wide range of polymorphism variation. The phylogenetic analysis identified two distinct clades, providing valuable insights into genetic diversity and relationships between different landraces. An interesting observation was made in the study, whereby L6 and L13, collected from Fayoum and Port-Said, respectively, were found to be the closest landraces. Following closely were L7 and L14, which were also collected from the same governorates. These findings have significant implications for the conservation of these landraces, as they may have evolved from similar species. Conclusions: This study sheds light on the genetic diversity and relationships among 25 Egyptian basil landraces. Using SCoT markers, a high level of polymorphism was detected, indicating significant variation in the genetic makeup of the landraces. The study also revealed interesting observations regarding the relationships among the landraces, with some landraces appearing to have evolved from similar species. The phylogenetic analysis provided insights into the genetic relationships among the landraces, which can guide conservation efforts and breeding programs. Overall, this study provides valuable information for researchers, breeders, and farmers involved in the conservation, breeding, and utilization of basil genetic resources in Egypt. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Plant Production is the property of Egyptian National Agricultural Library (ENAL) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)