Abstract
Climate change-driven water scarcity and heavy metal contamination pose significant challenges to sustainable agriculture in arid and semi-arid regions. This study examines the combined effects of drought and Ni stress on the physiological and biochemical responses of sweet basil ( Ocimum basilicum L.) and explores the potential mitigation provided by the root endophyte Piriformospora indica . Basil plants were grown under factorial combinations of three Ni levels (0, 165, 220 mg kg⁻¹), three drought conditions (100 %, 75 %, 50 % of field capacity), and with or without P. indica inoculation. Results showed that drought and Ni stress significantly decreased growth, photosynthetic efficiency, pigment stability, total soluble protein, and vitamin C content. Conversely, oxidative markers (H₂O₂, MDA, proline) and antioxidant enzyme activities (APX, GPX, SOD), along with total phenolics and FRAP activity, increased. P. indica inoculation notably enhanced shoot biomass, preserved pigment levels, improved photosystem II efficiency, and increased soluble protein and vitamin C, while reducing oxidative and osmotic markers and limiting Ni accumulation and translocation in basil tissues. The endophyte also modulated both enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant responses, indicating a reduction in stress intensity. Additionally, P. indica inoculation under combined drought and Ni stress significantly enhanced essential oil content and modulated the relative abundance of key constituents such as methyl chavicol, linalool, and 1,8-cineole, highlighting its role in promoting secondary metabolite production in basil. These findings suggest that P. indica is a promising biological agent for boosting basil resilience and productivity under combined drought and heavy metal stress, offering sustainable options for crop management in challenging agroecosystems. • P. indica alleviates combined drought + Ni stress in sweet basil. • Boosts chlorophyll, carotenoids, SPAD, and PSII efficiency under stress. • Increases shoot biomass, vitamin C, and soluble protein content. • Reduces ROS, MDA, H₂O₂, proline, and antioxidant enzyme overactivity. • Enhances essential oil yield and key constituent composition.
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Claims 14
Claim · model-written summary
Drought and nickel stress decreased growth, photosynthetic efficiency and pigment stability in sweet basil.
- Taxon
- sweet basil
Ocimum basilicume0 - Treatment
- drought and Ni stresse1
- Outcome
- growth, photosynthetic efficiency, pigment stabilitye1
- Direction
- decreasede1
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“This study examines the combined effects of drought and Ni stress on the physiological and biochemical responses of sweet basil ( Ocimum basilicum L.) and explores the potential mitigation provided by the root endophyte Piriformospora indica”
e1“Results showed that drought and Ni stress significantly decreased growth, photosynthetic efficiency, pigment stability, total soluble protein, and vitamin C content”
Claim · model-written summary
Drought and nickel stress decreased total soluble protein and vitamin C content in sweet basil.
- Taxon
- sweet basilOcimum basilicume0
- Treatment
- drought and Ni stresse1
- Outcome
- total soluble protein, and vitamin C contente1
- Direction
- decreasede1
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“This study examines the combined effects of drought and Ni stress on the physiological and biochemical responses of sweet basil ( Ocimum basilicum L.) and explores the potential mitigation provided by the root endophyte Piriformospora indica”
e1“Results showed that drought and Ni stress significantly decreased growth, photosynthetic efficiency, pigment stability, total soluble protein, and vitamin C content”
Claim · model-written summary
Drought and nickel stress increased oxidative markers H2O2, MDA and proline in sweet basil.
- Taxon
- sweet basilOcimum basilicume0
- Treatment
- drought and Ni stresse1
- Outcome
- oxidative markers (H₂O₂, MDA, proline)e2
- Direction
- increasede2
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“This study examines the combined effects of drought and Ni stress on the physiological and biochemical responses of sweet basil ( Ocimum basilicum L.) and explores the potential mitigation provided by the root endophyte Piriformospora indica”
e1“Results showed that drought and Ni stress significantly decreased growth, photosynthetic efficiency, pigment stability, total soluble protein, and vitamin C content”
e2“Conversely, oxidative markers (H₂O₂, MDA, proline) and antioxidant enzyme activities (APX, GPX, SOD), along with total phenolics and FRAP activity, increased”
Claim · model-written summary
Drought and nickel stress increased antioxidant enzyme activities APX, GPX and SOD in sweet basil.
- Taxon
- sweet basilOcimum basilicume0
- Treatment
- drought and Ni stresse1
- Outcome
- antioxidant enzyme activities (APX, GPX, SOD)e2
- Direction
- increasede2
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“This study examines the combined effects of drought and Ni stress on the physiological and biochemical responses of sweet basil ( Ocimum basilicum L.) and explores the potential mitigation provided by the root endophyte Piriformospora indica”
e1“Results showed that drought and Ni stress significantly decreased growth, photosynthetic efficiency, pigment stability, total soluble protein, and vitamin C content”
e2“Conversely, oxidative markers (H₂O₂, MDA, proline) and antioxidant enzyme activities (APX, GPX, SOD), along with total phenolics and FRAP activity, increased”
Claim · model-written summary
Drought and nickel stress increased total phenolics and FRAP activity in sweet basil.
- Taxon
- sweet basilOcimum basilicume0
- Treatment
- drought and Ni stresse1
- Outcome
- total phenolics and FRAP activitye2
- Direction
- increasede2
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“This study examines the combined effects of drought and Ni stress on the physiological and biochemical responses of sweet basil ( Ocimum basilicum L.) and explores the potential mitigation provided by the root endophyte Piriformospora indica”
e1“Results showed that drought and Ni stress significantly decreased growth, photosynthetic efficiency, pigment stability, total soluble protein, and vitamin C content”
e2“Conversely, oxidative markers (H₂O₂, MDA, proline) and antioxidant enzyme activities (APX, GPX, SOD), along with total phenolics and FRAP activity, increased”
Claim · model-written summary
P. indica inoculation enhanced shoot biomass of sweet basil.
- Taxon
- sweet basilOcimum basilicume0
- Treatment
- P. indica inoculatione3
- Interactor
- Piriformospora indicaSerendipita indicae0symbiont
- Outcome
- shoot biomasse3
- Direction
- enhancede3
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“This study examines the combined effects of drought and Ni stress on the physiological and biochemical responses of sweet basil ( Ocimum basilicum L.) and explores the potential mitigation provided by the root endophyte Piriformospora indica”
e3“P. indica inoculation notably enhanced shoot biomass, preserved pigment levels, improved photosystem II efficiency, and increased soluble protein and vitamin C, while reducing oxidative and osmotic markers and limiting Ni accumulation and translocation in basil tissues”
Claim · model-written summary
P. indica inoculation preserved pigment levels in sweet basil.
- Taxon
- sweet basilOcimum basilicume0
- Treatment
- P. indica inoculatione3
- Interactor
- Piriformospora indicaSerendipita indicae0symbiont
- Outcome
- pigment levelse3
- Direction
- preservede3
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“This study examines the combined effects of drought and Ni stress on the physiological and biochemical responses of sweet basil ( Ocimum basilicum L.) and explores the potential mitigation provided by the root endophyte Piriformospora indica”
e3“P. indica inoculation notably enhanced shoot biomass, preserved pigment levels, improved photosystem II efficiency, and increased soluble protein and vitamin C, while reducing oxidative and osmotic markers and limiting Ni accumulation and translocation in basil tissues”
Claim · model-written summary
P. indica inoculation improved photosystem II efficiency in sweet basil.
- Taxon
- sweet basilOcimum basilicume0
- Treatment
- P. indica inoculatione3
- Interactor
- Piriformospora indicaSerendipita indicae0symbiont
- Outcome
- photosystem II efficiencye3
- Direction
- improvede3
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“This study examines the combined effects of drought and Ni stress on the physiological and biochemical responses of sweet basil ( Ocimum basilicum L.) and explores the potential mitigation provided by the root endophyte Piriformospora indica”
e3“P. indica inoculation notably enhanced shoot biomass, preserved pigment levels, improved photosystem II efficiency, and increased soluble protein and vitamin C, while reducing oxidative and osmotic markers and limiting Ni accumulation and translocation in basil tissues”
Claim · model-written summary
P. indica inoculation increased soluble protein and vitamin C in sweet basil.
- Taxon
- sweet basilOcimum basilicume0
- Treatment
- P. indica inoculatione3
- Interactor
- Piriformospora indicaSerendipita indicae0symbiont
- Outcome
- soluble protein and vitamin Ce3
- Direction
- increasede3
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“This study examines the combined effects of drought and Ni stress on the physiological and biochemical responses of sweet basil ( Ocimum basilicum L.) and explores the potential mitigation provided by the root endophyte Piriformospora indica”
e3“P. indica inoculation notably enhanced shoot biomass, preserved pigment levels, improved photosystem II efficiency, and increased soluble protein and vitamin C, while reducing oxidative and osmotic markers and limiting Ni accumulation and translocation in basil tissues”
Claim · model-written summary
P. indica inoculation reduced oxidative and osmotic markers in sweet basil.
- Taxon
- sweet basilOcimum basilicume0
- Treatment
- P. indica inoculatione3
- Interactor
- Piriformospora indicaSerendipita indicae0symbiont
- Outcome
- oxidative and osmotic markerse3
- Direction
- reducinge3
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“This study examines the combined effects of drought and Ni stress on the physiological and biochemical responses of sweet basil ( Ocimum basilicum L.) and explores the potential mitigation provided by the root endophyte Piriformospora indica”
e3“P. indica inoculation notably enhanced shoot biomass, preserved pigment levels, improved photosystem II efficiency, and increased soluble protein and vitamin C, while reducing oxidative and osmotic markers and limiting Ni accumulation and translocation in basil tissues”
Claim · model-written summary
P. indica inoculation limited Ni accumulation and translocation in sweet basil tissues.
- Taxon
- sweet basilOcimum basilicume0
- Treatment
- P. indica inoculatione3
- Interactor
- Piriformospora indicaSerendipita indicae0symbiont
- Outcome
- Ni accumulation and translocatione3
- Direction
- limitinge3
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“This study examines the combined effects of drought and Ni stress on the physiological and biochemical responses of sweet basil ( Ocimum basilicum L.) and explores the potential mitigation provided by the root endophyte Piriformospora indica”
e3“P. indica inoculation notably enhanced shoot biomass, preserved pigment levels, improved photosystem II efficiency, and increased soluble protein and vitamin C, while reducing oxidative and osmotic markers and limiting Ni accumulation and translocation in basil tissues”
Claim · model-written summary
The endophyte modulated enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant responses of sweet basil, indicating reduced stress intensity.
- Taxon
- sweet basilOcimum basilicume0
- Treatment
- The endophytee4
- Interactor
- Piriformospora indicaSerendipita indicae0symbiont
- Outcome
- enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant responsese4
- Direction
- modulatede4
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“This study examines the combined effects of drought and Ni stress on the physiological and biochemical responses of sweet basil ( Ocimum basilicum L.) and explores the potential mitigation provided by the root endophyte Piriformospora indica”
e4“The endophyte also modulated both enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant responses, indicating a reduction in stress intensity”
Claim · model-written summary
P. indica inoculation under combined drought and nickel stress significantly enhanced essential oil content of sweet basil.
- Taxon
- sweet basilOcimum basilicume0
- Treatment
- P. indica inoculation under combined drought and Ni stresse5
- Interactor
- P. indicaSerendipita indicae5symbiont
- Outcome
- essential oil contente5
- Direction
- enhancede5
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“This study examines the combined effects of drought and Ni stress on the physiological and biochemical responses of sweet basil ( Ocimum basilicum L.) and explores the potential mitigation provided by the root endophyte Piriformospora indica”
e5“P. indica inoculation under combined drought and Ni stress significantly enhanced essential oil content and modulated the relative abundance of key constituents such as methyl chavicol, linalool, and 1,8-cineole”
Claim · model-written summary
P. indica inoculation under combined drought and nickel stress modulated the relative abundance of key constituents (methyl chavicol, linalool, 1,8-cineole) of sweet basil.
- Taxon
- sweet basilOcimum basilicume0
- Treatment
- P. indica inoculation under combined drought and Ni stresse5
- Interactor
- P. indicaSerendipita indicae5symbiont
- Outcome
- relative abundance of key constituentse5
- Direction
- modulatede5
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“This study examines the combined effects of drought and Ni stress on the physiological and biochemical responses of sweet basil ( Ocimum basilicum L.) and explores the potential mitigation provided by the root endophyte Piriformospora indica”
e5“P. indica inoculation under combined drought and Ni stress significantly enhanced essential oil content and modulated the relative abundance of key constituents such as methyl chavicol, linalool, and 1,8-cineole”
The same questions in other papers
Serendipita indica · nutrient: content · Ocimum basilicum (basil)Results agree
1 paper in the same direction as this paper
- positive
Serendipita indica · quality: oil · Ocimum basilicum (basil)Results agree
1 paper in the same direction as this paper
- positive
Serendipita indica · growth · Ocimum basilicum (basil)Results agree
2 papers in the same direction as this paper
- positive
- positive
drought · quality: phytochemicals · Ocimum basilicum (basil)Results differ
3 papers in the same direction as this paper · 3 in the opposite direction
- positive
- positive
- positive
3 papers more in this group
See all 7 papers →drought · soil: biology · Ocimum basilicum (basil)Positive and negative results
1 in the opposite direction
- positive
heavy metal · physiology: osmolytes · Ocimum basilicum (basil)Positive and negative results
1 in the opposite direction
- positive
heavy metal · physiology: oxidative · Ocimum basilicum (basil)Positive and negative results
1 in the opposite direction
- positive
drought · physiology: osmolytes · Ocimum basilicum (basil)Positive and negative results
3 papers in the same direction as this paper · 1 in the opposite direction
- positive
- negative
- negative
1 paper more in this group
See all 5 papers →8 of 17 groups shown: named compounds and organisms first, then groups whose results differ (checked claim by claim), then those with positive and negative results, then the smaller groups.
Claims are grouped by organism, treatment and what was measured or targeted. A paper counts as positive when any of its claims in the group is positive.