Evaluation of relationships among some morphological and physiological traits of basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) under effect of super nitro plus and bio super phosphate

In order to evaluate the relationship between some morphological and physiological traits of basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) under effect of super nitro plus and bio super phosphate, an experiment was conducted as a complete randomized design with three replications in Damavand region, north Iran  in 2011. Treatments were super nitro plus 2 lit.ha-1, bio super phosphate 4 lit.ha-1, super nitro plus 2 lit.ha-1 + bio super phosphate 4 lit.ha-1 and control (no fertilizer). Characteristics like chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, total chlorophyll, carotenoids, plant height, root length, shoot diameter, leaf fresh weight, shoot fresh weight, root fresh weight, leaf dry weight, shoot dry weight, root dry weight, dry weight of vegetative parts, fresh weight of vegetative parts and leaf area were measured. According to the results, fresh weight of vegetative parts had a positive significant correlation with plant height, shoot diameter, leaf fresh and dry weight and shoot fresh and dry weight. The results of stepwise regression analysis showed that leaf fresh weight, shoot fresh weight and chlorophyll a had positive effect on fresh weight of vegetative parts. Also based on the results of path analysis, leaf fresh weight had the greatest direct positive effect on the fresh weight of vegetative parts. Also there were indirect positive effect and plant height, shoot diameter and shoot fresh weight had a positive effect on fresh weight of vegetative parts through leaf fresh weight. Chlorophyll a had a negative effect on fresh weight of vegetative parts through leaf fresh weight. In conclusion, application of bio-fertilizers was useful for vegetative growth of basil and traits of leaf fresh weight, shoot fresh weight, plant height, shoot diameter and chlorophyll a could be recommended for breeding programms.