Abstract
Basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) is one of the most popular medicinal and aromatic plants that belong to Lamiaceae family and the Ocimum genus is known with its highly aromatic leaves, utilized either fresh or dried for culinary. Basil is grown in many countries of the world as spice, medicinal, and aromatic plant. The medicinal and aromatic properties of basil are associated with the presence of an essential oil that accumulates in large amount in its leaves and inflorescences. It performs well in warm and humid climate. However, basil is sensitive to frost and heavy rain fall. The growth and yield of basil is affected by different factors. Moreover, nutritional requirements of the crop are considered to be the most important factor among many plant growth factors. Nitrogen contributes to greatest extent to increase the biosynthesis of essential oil and its composition in numerous aromatic plant species. Essential oil yield and its chemical composition of these plant species significantly depend on the rate of nitrogen, phosphorous and sulfur. Keywords: Chemical composition, Essential oil, and Nitrogen. DOI: 10.7176/PPAR/11-9-05 Publication date: May 31 st 2021
Highlights
Basil
The medicinal and aromatic properties of basil are associated with the presence of an essential oil that accumulates in large amount in its leaves and inflorescences
Environmental factors Performances of crop plants depend on temperature, solar radiation, moisture and soil fertility for their growth and nutritional requirements
Summary
Among all Ocimum species, Ocimum basilicum L, is the most economic important, cultivated and utilized throughout the world (Marott et al, 1996). It occurs in nature as a tetraploid (2n = 48). The genus Ocimum (Lamiaceae) consists of about 50–150 species (Simon et al, 1990). It is small bushy annual plant of about 60 cm in height and strongly aromatic herb. Leaves of basil are opposite in arrangement, ovate-lanceolate, 3.75 - 5 cm long, almost entire and possess numerous oil glands, which contain aromatic volatile oil; petioles very slender usually slightly hairy; flowers 0.72 - 1.25 cm long, born in racemose inflorescences, corolla, white, pink or pale-purplish, bracts are petiolated, flowers are conspicuous, seeds are black and ellipsoid which become mucilaginous on wetting (Darrah, 1980; Kumar, 2014)
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