Growth. Production and Quality of Basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) Accession at Various Compositions of Urea Fertilizers and Cow Urine

Agroteknologi Study Program, Universitas Djuanda, West Java, Indonesia

^* Corresponding author: arifah.rahayu@unida.ac.id

Abstract

This study aims to evaluate the impact of urea and cow urine application on the growth, production, and quality of different basil accessions. A factorial completely randomized design with 3 replications was employed, which included two factors: basil accession (Gegerbitung, Kadudampit1, Kadudampit2, Kemang, Ciaruteun, Cijujung, and Gasol) and the composition of nitrogen fertilizers (100% urea, 75% urea + 25% urine, 50% urea + 50% urine, 25% urea + 75% urine, 100% urine, and 0% urea + 0% urine). The experimental results showed that the Kadudampit2 basil accession outperformed other accessions in terms of leaf number, total bud length, and stem diameter. Fertilization with 100% cow urine produced similar results to those treated with 100% R urea and a mixture of urea and cow urine, particularly in terms of leaf number, bud number, and bud length. Dry weight analysis revealed no significant differences in root dry weight across fertilizer treatments, and plants without urea and cow urine exhibited the lowest shoot dry weight. The highest chlorophyll a content was observed in plants fertilized with 100% R urea, with Cijugjug showing higher chlorophyll content than other accessions. The nitrate content was lower in plants treated with cow urine, and Vitamin C content was significantly higher in plants treated with 100% urea. A balanced fertilisation strategy combining organic and synthetic fertilisers can optimise basil growth and nutrient composition; further research is needed to explore the long-term effects and optimal fertiliser combinations for basil cultivation.