Selection of superior Ocimum sanctum L. accessions for industrial application

Abstract

Holy basil (Ocimum sanctum L.), a sacred medicinal plant in India is widely used in Indian and other international traditional medicinal systems. Eleven accessions of the plant have been characterized for 21 quantitative and qualitative traits and six essential oil components. Three different harvesting stages of accessions grown in western India were collected for selecting superior accessions with desirable morphological and chemical characters affecting yield and contributing traits for industrial use. The essential oil was extracted by hydro distillation and the characterized by gas chromatograph-mass spectrometry. The colour of the leaves, new branches and inflorescence varied from green to purple-green. The basil accession, DOS-1, resulted in maximum dry leaf recovery (230 g kg −1 ), total chlorophyll content (1.25 mg g −1 ), carotenoid content (8.5 mg mL −1 ) and number of peltate glands. The oil content in green herbage was maximum in DOS-1 (50 g kg −1 ), followed by DOS-3 (44 g kg −1 ) at crop maturity. Maximum oil and eugenol yield was also observed in DOS-1 (73 kg ha −1 and 67 kg ha −1 ). Overall, DOS-1 accession was found superior for leaf recovery, oil yield and eugenol content and therefore, can be used further in crop improvement and commercial cultivation as a new selection