Many herbs and spices have been shown to contain high levels of polyphenolic compounds with potent antioxidant properties. In the present study, we explore how nutrient availability, specifically nitrogen fertilization, affects the production of polyphenolic compounds in three cultivars (Dark Opal, Genovese, and Sweet Thai) of the culinary herb, basil ( Ocimum basilicum L.). Nitrogen fertilization was found to have a significant effect on total phenolic levels in Dark Opal ( p < 0.001) and Genovese ( p < 0.001) basil with statistically higher phenolic contents observed when nutrient availability was limited at the lowest (0.1 mM) applied nitrogen treatment. Similarly, basil treated at the lowest nitrogen fertilization level generally contained significantly higher rosmarinic ( p = 0.001) and caffeic ( p = 0.001) acid concentrations than basil treated at other nitrogen levels. Nitrogen fertilization also affected antioxidant activity ( p = 0.002) with basil treated at the highest applied nitrogen level, 5.0 mM, exhibiting lower antioxidant activity than all other nitrogen treatments. The anthocyanin content of Dark Opal basil was not affected by applied nitrogen level, but anthocyanin concentrations were significantly impacted by growing season ( p = 0.001). Basil cultivar was also determined to have a statistically significant effect on total phenolic levels, rosmarinic and caffeic acid concentrations, and antioxidant activities.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/jf801485u | DOI Listing |
Ecotoxicol Environ Saf
January 2025
College of Tropical Agriculture and Forestry, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China; School of Breeding and Multiplication (Sanya Institute of Breeding and Multiplication), Hainan University, Sanya 572025, China.
Soil nitrogen (N) transformations control N availability and plant production and pose environmental concerns when N is lost, raising issues such as soil acidification, water contamination, and climate change. Former studies suggested that soil N cycling is chiefly regulated by microbial activity; however, emerging evidence indicates that this regulation is disrupted by heavy metal (HM) contamination, which alters microbial communities and enzyme functions critical to N transformations. Environmental factors like soil organic carbon, soil texture, water content, temperature, soil pH, N fertilization, and redox status play significant roles in modulating the response of soil N cycling to HM contamination.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBMC Plant Biol
January 2025
Colorado Water Center, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA.
Background: Incorporating organic manure improves soil properties and crop productivity. A long-term study started in October 1967 examined the effects of farmyard manure and nitrogen fertilization on the soil at key growth stages of pearl millet in a pearl millet-wheat cropping system over its 51st cycle.
Results: Applying 15 Mg of farmyard manure (FYM) per hectare in both growing seasons significantly boosted soil organic carbon (SOC), dissolved organic carbon (DOC), and key nutrients compared to one-season application.
Int J Biol Macromol
January 2025
College of Agriculture, Shanxi Agricultural University, 030031 Taiyuan, Shanxi, PR China.
The protracted and immoderate utilization of chemical fertilizers has been detrimental to the composition of fungi in the soil and quality of crops. To ameliorate the adverse effects, a 6-year positioning experiment was undertaken to investigate the impact of substituting 0 % (CF), 25 % (M25), 50 % (M50), 75 % (M75), and 100 % (M100) of 225 kg ha chemical fertilizer nitrogen with manure nitrogen on both soil fungi and maize quality. This study showed that the expansion of Aspergillus heterocaryoticus, Xerochrysium dermatitidis, and Aspergillus penicillioides contributed to heightened levels of amylose and soluble sugars.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSci Rep
January 2025
Land and Resources Survey Center, Hebei Provincial Geology and Mineral Exploration and Development Bureau, Shijiazhuang, 050081, China.
Vegetation ecological restoration technology is widely regarded as an environmentally sustainable and green technology for the remediation of mineral waste. The appropriate ratio of amendments can improve the substrate environment for plant growth and increase the efficiency of ecological restoration. Herbs and shrubs are preferred for vegetation restoration in abandoned mines because of their rapid establishment and easy management.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Environ Manage
January 2025
Advanced Institute of Natural Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Zhuhai, 519087, China; State Key Laboratory of Wetland Conservation and Restoration, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China; Key Laboratory of Coastal Water Environmental Management and Water Ecological Restoration of Guang-dong Higher Education Institutes, Beijing Normal University, Zhuhai, 519087, China.
Since the Industrial Revolution, anthropogenic activities have substantially increased the input of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) into river watersheds, exacerbated by uncertainties stemming from climate change. This study provided a detailed analysis of N and P inputs within the Dawen River Watershed in China from 2000 to 2021. The Net Anthropogenic Nitrogen Input (NANI) and Net Anthropogenic Phosphorus Input (NAPI) methods were used in study, which aimed to investigate how they respond to various climate change factors.
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