Paper Details

Abstract

Carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus) is a key ornamental species widely cultivated across the Mediterranean and Middle East. This plant is an economically valuable decorative horticultural element worldwide, recognized for its esthetic, cultural, and medicinal importance. However, Fusarium oxysporum, a soil-borne fungal pathogen responsible for severe wilt diseases, frequently hinders its commercial production. The present study evaluated the influence of 5% (w/w) soil incorporation of dried Ocimum basilicum L. (basil) leaves on the performance of carnation plants challenged with F. oxysporum isolates ARF1 and ARF2. Both fungal strains were obtained from locally diseased plants and molecularly characterized by sequencing the rDNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region and the translation elongation factor 1-alpha (tef1α) gene. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) profiling of essential oils from the basil-amended soil indicated compositional shifts, including reductions in certain monoterpenes (e.g., linalool, geraniol, and cineole) and some sesquiterpenes, along with elevated levels of others such as caryophyllene. Carnation plants grown in basil-amended soil exhibited markedly lower wilt severity than those cultivated in unamended, infected soil. Furthermore, basil amendment substantially improved plant growth and physiological traits—such as plant height, branch proliferation, fresh and dry biomass, root elongation, flower production, chlorophyll content, photosynthetic rate, transpiration, and stomatal conductance. These findings suggest that soil enrichment with dried basil leaves mitigates F. oxysporum infection through multiple mechanisms, including enhanced physiological resilience, enhanced gas exchange parameters, and modulation of soil biochemical interactions. Overall, the results highlight the potential of O. basilicum leaf residues as a sustainable, plant-based soil amendment for reducing Fusarium wilt and improving overall vigor in carnation cultivation

To Cite This Article