Abstract
Methyl cinnamate and citral, compounds used in large quantities by perfume and flavoring industries, are the major constituents of essential oils found in certain basil varieties. The composition and quantity of oil, sequestered in as many as 16 different types of glandular structures, however, has been shown to change over time with plant development. In this study, we used scanning electron microscopy to characterize glands associated with leaves and flower parts of 3 lines of Ocimum basilicum, 2 with a high percentage of metyl cinnamate and one with high citral (as rel. percent of total oil). Density and distribution of oil producing glands were visualized with a tissue printing method on adaxial and abaxial leaf surfaces of young, mature, and post-mature leaves. Scanning electron micrographs revealed the morphology of six types of glandular structures. Density of oil-producing glands decreased with leaf expansion. The tissue printing method allowed for rapid visualization of oil-containing glands. The density of resulting prints will be easily quantified with computer image analysis.
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