Foliar Exposure of Cu(OH) 2 Nanopesticide to Basil ( Ocimum basilicum): Variety-Dependent Copper Translocation and Biochemical Responses.

In this study, low and high anthocyanin basil ( Ocimum basilicum) varieties (LAV and HAV) were sprayed with 4.8 mg Cu/per pot from Cu(OH) ₂ nanowires, Cu(OH) ₂ bulk (CuPro), or CuSO ₄ and cultivated for 45 days. In both varieties, significantly higher Cu was determined in leaves of CuSO ₄ exposed plants (691 and 672.6 mg/kg for LAV and HAV, respectively); however, only in roots of HAV, Cu was higher, compared to control ( p ≤ 0.05). Nanowires increased n-decanoic, dodecanoic, octanoic, and nonanoic acids in LAV, but reduced n-decanoic, dodecanoic, octanoic, and tetradecanoic acids in HAV, compared with control. In HAV, all compounds reduced eugenol (87%), 2-methylundecanal (71%), and anthocyanin (3%) ( p ≤ 0.05). In addition, in all plant tissues, of both varieties, nanowires and CuSO ₄ reduced Mn, while CuPro increased chlorophyll contents, compared with controls ( p ≤ 0.05). Results suggest that the effects of Cu(OH) ₂ pesticides are variety- and compound-dependent.