Common basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) responses to lead (Pb(NO?)2) stress: Germination, morpho-physiological, and phytochemical

Mohammad Hossein Fotokian | Mohsen Poursaeid | Mostafa Ebadi | Alireza Iranbakhsh

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URL :   http://research.shahed.ac.ir/WSR/WebPages/Report/PaperView.aspx?PaperID=158519
Date :  2021/04/24
Publish in :    Iranian Journal of Plant Physiology
DOI :  https://doi.org/2021.1902917.1235
Link :  https://ijpp.iau-saveh.ac.ir/article_681081_849a6deb33312d5938e196f5e570eea4.pdf
Keywords :Essential oil; linalool; methyl-chavicol; photosynthetic pigment; proline content

Abstract :

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The negative impact of contaminated soil with heavy metals on plant and human health is an important global concern. To evaluate the effect of lead (Pb(NOз)2) stress (0, 25, 75, 100, and 150 μM) on the germination, growth, and physiological and biochemical properties of sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum L.), a pot experiment based on completely randomized design (CRD) with three replicates was conducted at the Department of Horticultural Science, Shahed University of Tehran, in 2018. The contaminated soil with Pb had a negative impact on germination indices (percentage and rate), growth and morphological parameters (shoot and root length and dry weight), and physiological parameters (LAI, photosynthetic pigments, and number of leaf secretory glands). Pb stress (150 μM) led to a reduction in the mean germination percentage (43.33), germination rate (62.92), shoot and root dry weight (60.22 and 77.43, respectively), LAI (64.68), total chlorophyll content (73.10), and number of leaf secretory glands (33.3) compared to the control treatment (without Pb) while increased peroxidase activity (62.3), proline content (70.14), and the root and shoot Pb content (92.10 and 97.6, respectively). Two components of oil, Linalool and Estragole (Methyl Chavicol) composed more than 50 of the oil. On the other hand, Pb stress led to a change in the content of essential oil compounds. In general, low levels of Pb (25 μM) appear to increase the predominance of oil compounds. In conclusion, common basil cultivation in the Pb-contaminated soil could cause undesirable effects on the germination indices, growth and morphological traits, and physiological attributes but might have a positive influence under low level (25 μM) on the essential oil composition.