Productive and physiological responses of basil to nitrogen fertilization

ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to evaluate productive and physiological traits of basil cv. Italiano Genovese grown in nitrogen-fertilized soil. We studied five doses of nitrogen (25, 50, 75, 100 and 125 kg ha-1), in urea form. The experimental design was completely randomized, with four replicates. The maximum plant height was 79 cm, applying 65.7 kg ha-1 N. Shoot fresh and dry masses (814.1 g plant-1 and 111.4 g plant-1, respectively) and productivity (4.4 t ha-1) reached maximum values at 86.2; 80.2 and 82.5 kg ha-1 N, respectively. The highest N content in plant shoot was 26.1 g kg-1 at 125 kg ha-1 N. Photosynthesis and instantaneous carboxylation efficiency obtained maximum responses at doses of 85.3 and 83.3 kg ha-1 N, respectively. Stomatal conductance and transpiration increased with N additional rates.