In this month’s edition of Crop Spotlight, we will explore our data and growers’ experiences on the benefits of ActivatedAir™ seed priming in basil production.
From pesto to caprese, basil is a much-loved fragrant herb belonging to the mint family. As of 2023, the estimated global market value of basil leaves is $1.5 billion (as per Future Market Insight). But, despite the high-demand market, there are numerous agronomic challenges for growers to overcome.
Basil is ideally suited for controlled environment agriculture (CEA) because it performs well in the steady conditions of the system. Growing it in greenhouses, vertical farms, or hydroponic systems can achieve consistent yields, optimise plant health, and produce high-quality herbs year-round.
Plant height consistency is an important quality parameter for basil production. Synchronised seed germination, speed of development, and plant spacing are key factors influencing plant height. ActivatedAir™ seed priming can be crucial in affecting these, boosting marketable yield and shortening growing cycles.
Improvements in Marketable Yield – Case One
Basil seeds were treated with ActivatedAir™ and grown in compost alongside untreated seeds. At the end of the normal harvest cycle, the plants were harvested; plant heights were measured against the height specification of a major UK supermarket, who require height between 14 and 22cm with <30% bare stem.
The results were striking: the treated plants showed a growth boost of 7.5.% This improvement meant that a higher percentage of the ActivatedAir™- treated basil reached the desired height as outlined by major supermarkets’ specification.
We saw a 25% increase in ‘in-spec’ ActivatedAir™-treated basil.
With non-treated basil seeds, almost 1/3 of the crop was wasted, due to it not meeting specifications.
As for the ActivatedAir™-treated basil, there was a huge difference in out-of-spec as the majority of the crop fits within the maximum and minimum supermarkets guidelines.
Measuring Growth Rates Over Time – Case Two
Basil seeds treated with ActivatedAir™ were grown in compost alongside untreated seeds. The grower closely monitored the heights of the plants, and by Day 32, the ActivatedAir™-treated plants outperformed the untreated ones, showcasing a 14% height advantage.
The growth lead, seen above, is then translated into a remarkable yield increase at harvest, with fresh weight soaring approximately 21% higher. The graph clearly shows the treated seeds with a significant growth speed advantage – from day 21 growth is significantly faster, enabling treated plants to exceed the harvest height of the untreated seeds 3 days early.
In summary, the findings unveil that treatment with ActivatedAir™ significantly enhances basil cultivation, improving germination speed, growth, and ultimately, yield.
Conclusion
There are huge improvements seen with Zayndu’s ActivatedAir™ treatment in boosting germination, height, and yield.
Leading basil growers are reaping the benefits of ActivatedAir™ systems, enjoying the huge improvements the technology offers in boosting crop yield, growing speed, and enhanced crop uniformity – bringing more crop in-spec, earlier, which ultimately drives farm profit.
If you’re interested in increasing the crop yield in your own indoor facility, contact us at info@zayndu.com.
Written by Alberto Campanaro and Sam Gee