Essential Oil Content and Composition of Some Ocimum Species and Subspecies Grown in Sudan

Abstract

This research was conducted to study the variation among Ocimum species and subspecies grown in Sudan on basis of the essential oil content of their leaves and flowers and oil profiles. Four different plant materials wereused in this experiment. The layout of the experiment was Randomized Complete Block Design with three replicates; treatments were the four Ocimum species and sub-species. The highest oil content of leaves (3 %) wasobtained from O. americanum L. (Wild), while the lowest oil content of leaves and flowers 1 % and 1.3 % respectively were obtained from O. tenuiflorum L. (Clove). The highest oil content of flowers (2.8 %) was obtained from O. basilicum L. (Baladi). Linalool was the most predominant component in leaves’ and flowers’ oil of Ocimum spp. followed by Eugenol and Eucalyptol (Cineole). Other important components were Methyleugenol,Caryophyllene, Citral, Neral (β-Citral), α-Citral, Acetic acid octyl ester, 1-Octanol, α-Bergamotene, β-Cadinene(-), α-Caryophyllene (Humulene), β-elemene and Germacrene D. Oxygenated monoterpenes were the mostpredominant components in the oils followed by sesquiterpene hydrocarbons and phenylpropanoids