Effects of Drought Stress on Secondary Metabolite Production and Yield in Ocimum basilicum

Authors

Daniela Maria Menendez, Florida International UniversityFollow

Document Type

Thesis

Degree

Master of Science (MS)

Major/Program

Environmental Studies

First Advisor's Name

Krishnaswamy Jayachandran

First Advisor's Committee Title

Committee chair

Second Advisor's Name

Diego Salazar Amoretti

Second Advisor's Committee Title

Committee member

Third Advisor's Name

Mahadev Bhat

Third Advisor's Committee Title

Committee member

Keywords

drought stress, plant chemistry, water stress, basil, culinary herbs, specialty crops, greenhouse culture, drip irrigation

Date of Defense

3-31-2023

Abstract

This research was meant to elucidate the relationship between drought stress, secondary metabolite production, and yield in sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum). To explore this relationship, a drip irrigation system that emitted water at different time intervals was designed, with four different treatment groups. There was no significant relationship between leaf chlorophyll concentration and the drought stress treatments. There was a significant relationship between the final height, dry and wet yield, and chemical concentration of the different water stress treatments. One of the most interesting findings of the study was that the high note of sweet basil, a phenylpropanoid known as eugenol, was found in similarly high concentrations throughout the different treatment groups. There were significant differences in concentration across terpenoids such as eucalyptol, germacrene D, and linalool. This study showed that there were significant effects on the yield and concentration of phytochemicals produced by sweet basil from drought stress.

Identifier

FIDC011016

ORCID

0000-0002-5054-4167

Recommended Citation

Menendez, Daniela Maria, "Effects of Drought Stress on Secondary Metabolite Production and Yield in Ocimum basilicum" (2023). FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 5307.
https://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/etd/5307