Differences in essential oil composition of basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) Italian cultivars related to morphological characteristics

Differences in essential oil composition of basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) Italian cultivars related to morphological characteristics

1996

A:PS

In a study carried out at the University of Bologna, Italy, seedlings of 10 cultivars were transplanted in the field in May 1992 and whole plants were harvested at the beginning of flowering (early August). Morphological parameters were recorded at the beginning of the flowering stage and the essential oils, obtained by hydrodistillation, were analysed by GC and GC/MS. Among the cultivars, 4 phenotypes were distinguished on the basis of leaf size, shape and colour, and plant height, weight, branching, and leafing. The essential oils, all characterized by a high linalool contents (41-76%), included 3 chemotypes: linalool, linalool and methylchavicol, and linalool and eugenol. Two chemotypes each had their own suite of morphological characters, whereas 2 groups of cultivars, with different morphological parameters belonged to the same chemotype (linalool and eugenol).

v.44(12):3926-3929, JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY

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