Effects of different row spacings on yield and yield components of basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) genotypes

This research was conducted to determine the effects of different row spacings on yield and yield components and essential oil content of basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) under Erzurum conditions in 2015. In this study, the effects of four basil genotype (Kayseri-1, Kayseri-2, Yusufeli and Iranian genotype) and four row spacings (20, 30, 40 and 50 cm) were evaluated. The experimental design was the randomized block with three replications. Plant height, number of branches, fresh herb yield, dry herb yield, dry leaf yield, dry leaf rate, leaf essential oil concentration and leaf essential oil yield were investigated in this experiment. The effect of genotypes was significant for all characteristics, except leaf essential oil concentration. According to the results, the highest plant height, number of branches, fresh herb yield, dry herb yield were obtained from Iranian genotype, the highest dry leaf rate and leaf essential oil concentration obtained from the Yusufeli genotype, the highest dry leaf yield and leaf essential oil yield obtained from the Kayseri-2 genotype. Row spacings significantly affected all characters except for drug leaf rate. According to row spacings; the highest plant height (38,5 cm) and number of branches (6,6) were obtained from row spacings of 50 cm and the highest fresh herb yield (2193,1 kg/da), dry herb yield (398,9 kg/da), dry leaf yield (246,4 kg/da), leaf essential oil concentration (0,35%) and leaf essential oil yield obtained from the row spacings of 20 cm. The study should be continued for at least a few years to achieve a more accurate decision about the responses of the basil to row spacings.