FEATURES OF THE BIOLOGY OF AN UNCONVENTIONAL SPICY-AROMATIC PLANT FOR THE REPUBLIC OF BASHKORTOSTAN Ocimum basilicum L.

Spicy-aromatic plants have been known to man since ancient times. Studying the properties of spicy-aromatic plants, people gradually expanded the scope of their application: spices began to be used as medicines, disinfectants, preservatives, cosmetics flavors. These plants are used for the treatment and prevention of various diseases. Many plants from this group are included in the modern pharmacopoeia. The need for such plants is growing. They are necessary in various industries and, above all, in the food industry

One of the most valuable spicy-aromatic plants is considered Osimim-a genus of annual and perennial grasses and shrubs of the Lamiaceae family

The genus Ocimim is part of the Ocimeae tribe of the Nepetoideae subfamily of the family Lamiaceae of the order Lamiales.

The website of the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew lists 69 species of the genus distributed in tropical and subtropical countries. Among them are Ocimum basilicum L., Ocimum gratissimum L., Ocimum menthifolium, Ocimum tenuiflorum L.

The most promising for plant medicine is Ocimum basilicum L. In folk medicine, the herb O. basilicum L. it is used for the discharge of sputum, as a reducing inflammation in kidney diseases and gastrointestinal diseases. Numerous studies have found that the essential oil of O. basilicum L. in the experiment has good antioxidant, antimicrobial and cytostatic activity. It was found that there are 11 components in its composition, the dominant of which are monoterpene alcohol-β-linalool, phenolevgenol and sesquiterpengermacrene D

The essential oils, glucosides, tonic and flavoring substances contained in Ocimum basilicum improve the culinary quality of products, change their consistency, making it more tender, excite the activity of the olfactory, gustatory and digestive organs, cause appetite, enhance the digestibility of nutrients, favorably affect their metabolism, the activity of the nervous and cardiovascular systems, etc.

The purpose of our study was to study the features of the seasonal rhythm of development and the biology of flowering of an unconventional species of spicy-aromatic plants for the Urals – Ocimum basilicum L. of the Lemon variety in the conditions of the city of Birsk of the Republic of Bashkortostan (the Northern forest-steppe zone of the Southern Urals).

The choice of the research object was based on the relevance and necessity of introducing into culture and studying the biology of the development of the species in the conditions of the Republic of Bashkortostan.

Seeds of Ocimum basilicum of the Lemon variety were sown in the spring of 2020, and in the same year the plants bloomed. We conducted observations of young generative plants. The plants were grown from seeds.

To monitor the development of the studied species, a plot of 5 m2 was laid. The experimental plants were planted on a lighted area. The plants were planted in a square-nesting way (15×15 cm).

One model specimen was selected to study the biology of flowering. The study of the seasonal rhythm of development and seed productivity was carried out on 10 specimens of the studied species. Their growth and development were monitored according to the method of I.P. Ignatieva

Ocimum basilicum is a plant of a warm climate. Seeds are demanding of heat, light, moisture, and soil. At a temperature of 10-15°C shoots appear in 18-22 days, at a temperature of 15-20 °C-in 15-17 days.

Blooms in july-august, mass flowering occurs from the first decade of august. Identification of flowering features is an important link in the adaptation of plants in local conditions. Data on the study of the seasonal rhythm of development are shown in Table 1.

Seedlings appear 24–26 days after sowing. Then the plants develop rapidly and after 25–28 days the budding phase begins. Flowering of Ocimum basilicum begins in mid-July and lasts 40–45 days. The central shoot blooms first on the plant, followed by the branches of the first, second and subsequent orders begin to bloom.

The opening of flowers on a simple brush of the inflorescence begins with the lower whorls and lasts from 12 to 18 days, during the first decade of flowering of plants, 76-80% of the flowers of the entire inflorescence bloom. For central shoots, the maximum flowering occurs during the first decade of flowering, for branches of the first order – during the second and third decades. The growing season is 150–180 days.

The continuous opening of flowers on branches of all orders and the prolonged flowering of each shoot leads to a stretched flowering of the plant. The dynamics of flowering of one individual is shown in Figure 1. Flowering lasted for 42 days (Figure 1).

Figure 1 - Dynamics of flowering of Ocimum basilicum (2021)

DOI:10.23670/IRJ.2023.133.46.2

We have studied in detail the dynamics of the appearance of blooming flowers during the entire flowering period on one individual.

We also conducted a study of morphometric indicators – the height of the plant, the number of reproductive shoots, the number of flowers and fruits on the plant, the height and diameter of the flower. The data is given in Table 2. Ocimum basilicum is a herbaceous plant with an average height of 51 cm. Each individual forms 4 shoots. There are approximately 32 flowers per shoot; individuals bear from 25 to 52 flowers. The diameter of the flower is from 0.3-0.9 cm, the maximum diameter of the flower is 1.1 cm. the percentage of flowering of the shoot is 81-83%. However, some shoots do not form flowers or form them in small quantities, so the percentage of fruit flowering of an individual of one plant is 65-66%. Thus, plants in the conditions of culture form bushes with a large number of reproductive shoots and flowers.

Thus, individuals in the conditions of culture form bushes with a large number of flowers and reproductive shoots.

Under cultivation conditions, the seed productivity of Ocimum basilicum was studied. The data are given in Table 3. According to the data obtained, it can be noted that the number of ovules in the fruit is constant, and the number of completed seeds in the fruit is less than the number of ovules by 10%. The potential seed productivity is quite high: seedlings – 128–148 pieces of ovules; plants – 512–592 pieces, depending on the year of the study. The real seed productivity of shoots is less than the potential by 14-19%, and the real seed productivity of plants is less than the potential by 30-35%. Thus, the coefficient of seed productivity of plants is 65-70%, depending on the year of observation.

In culture, over two years of research, we can note an increase in the increase in potential and real seed productivity, as well as an increase in the coefficient of seed productivity. For the first time, the prehistory, seasonal rhythm of development and dynamics of flowering of the studied species in the conditions of the city of Birsk of the Republic of Bashkortostan were studied in detail.

Flowering of plants begins in mid-July and continues until the first autumn frosts, which stop the vegetation. The central shoot blooms first on the plant, followed by branches of the first, second and subsequent orders begin to bloom.

Plants in the conditions of culture form bushes with a large number of reproductive shoots and flowers.

As a result of studying the morphology and developmental biology of Ocimum basilicum, it was found that in the conditions of the temperate continental climatic zone of the Republic of Bashkortostan, this crop manages to go through a full cycle of seasonal development, has a good growth potential, high reproductive capacity and can be recommended for industrial culture.