Drought and Elevated Carbon Dioxide Impact the Morphophysiological Profile of Basil (Ocimum basilicum L.)

Treating plants with elevated carbon dioxide (eCO2) can increase their drought tolerance. Increased atmospheric CO2, a fundamental factor in climate change, may compensate for the drought-induced reduction crop growth and yield. Basil, being moderately sensitive to stress (DS), experiences several morphological changes under DS. Thus, we designed an experiment that addresses how DS different levels of CO2 affect overall patterns during basil’s early late-season growth. The was conducted four conditions: two water treatments, (1) full-strength Hoagland’s solution added basil at 120% evapotranspiration each day, (2) 50% treatment, alongside application [ambient 420 ppm (aCO2) 720 (eCO2)]). had severe impact on traits shoot root systems. Compared control, reduced marketable fresh mass (FM) by 31.6% 55.2% late stages FM highest control + eCO2 (94.4–613.7 g) lowest aCO2 (67.9–275.5 g). Plant height 16.8% 10.6% season. On other hand, dry percent (DM%) increased compared growth, respectively. This study suggested significantly impacts aCO2. Besides, anthocyanin decreased 10% 12.6% control. Similarly, nitrogen balance index, ratio chlorophyll flavonoids, recorded be (40.8) any treatments. Overall, this indicates suppression morphophysiological is more prominent its later stage than earlier stages, played important role alleviating negative effect increasing DM% 55%.