BACKGROUND: The effects of short-term ultraviolet B (UV-B) irradiation on sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum L. cv. Cinnamon) plants at the 3-4 leaf pair and flowering stages were examined in controlled environment growth chambers. Plants were exposed to 0 (reference), 2 and 4 kJ UV-B m(-2) day(-1) over 7 days. RESULTS: Exposure of basil plants to supplementary UV-B light resulted in increased assimilating leaf area, fresh biomass and dry biomass. Stimulation of physiological functions in young basil plants under either applied UV-B dose resulted in increased total chlorophyll content but no marked variation in carotenoid content. At the flowering stage the chlorophyll and carotenoid contents of basil were affected by supplementary UV-B radiation, decreasing with enhanced UV-B exposure. Both total antioxidant activity (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl free radical assay) and total phenolic compound content were increased by UV-B light supplementation. Young and mature basil plants differed in their ascorbic acid content, which was dependent on UV-B dose and plant age. UV-B radiation resulted in decreased nitrate content in young basil plants (3-4 leaf pair stage). CONCLUSION: These results indicate that the application of short-exposure UV-B radiation beneficially influenced both growth parameters and biochemical constituents in young and mature basil plants.
BACKGROUND: The effects of short-term ultraviolet B (UV-B) irradiation on sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum L. cv. Cinnamon) plants at the 3-4 leaf pair and flowering stages were examined in controlled environment growth chambers. Plants were exposed to 0 (reference), 2 and 4 kJ UV-B m(-2) day(-1) over 7 days. RESULTS: Exposure of basil plants to supplementary UV-B light resulted in increased assimilating leaf area, fresh biomass and dry biomass. Stimulation of physiological functions in young basil plants under either applied UV-B dose resulted in increased total chlorophyll content but no marked variation in carotenoid content. At the flowering stage the chlorophyll and carotenoid contents of basil were affected by supplementary UV-B radiation, decreasing with enhanced UV-B exposure. Both total antioxidant activity (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl free radical assay) and total phenolic compound content were increased by UV-B light supplementation. Young and mature basil plants differed in their ascorbic acid content, which was dependent on UV-B dose and plant age. UV-B radiation resulted in decreased nitrate content in young basil plants (3-4 leaf pair stage). CONCLUSION: These results indicate that the application of short-exposure UV-B radiation beneficially influenced both growth parameters and biochemical constituents in young and mature basil plants.
Authors: M Graça Dias; Grethe Iren A Borge; Kristina Kljak; Anamarija I Mandić; Paula Mapelli-Brahm; Begoña Olmedilla-Alonso; Adela M Pintea; Francisco Ravasco; Vesna Tumbas Šaponjac; Jolanta Sereikaitė; Liliana Vargas-Murga; Jelena J Vulić; Antonio J Meléndez-Martínez Journal: Foods Date: 2021-04-21
Authors: Sofia D Carvalho; Michael L Schwieterman; Carolina E Abrahan; Thomas A Colquhoun; Kevin M Folta Journal: Front Plant Sci Date: 2016-09-01 Impact factor: 5.753
Authors: Donald P Fraser; Ashutosh Sharma; Taryn Fletcher; Simon Budge; Chris Moncrieff; Antony N Dodd; Keara A Franklin Journal: Sci Rep Date: 2017-12-19 Impact factor: 4.379