Abstract
Ocimum basilicum is widely distributed in the tropical and subtropical regions of the world, with greatest variability in Africa and India. It is valued in many countries for its culinary, medicinal, industrial and religious importance. Although cytogenetic entries on the plant have been made in other geographical locations of the world, in Nigeria, such entries, prior to this report, have been limited if not completely unavailable. In this analysis, axillary buds, obtained from growing plants, were used to conduct mitotic study. Results from this study showed chromosome counts of 2n = 48 and 60, thus bringing to light the existence of chromosome number variation and the possibility of polyploidy at different levels in the plant species in this agro-ecological zone. This research has, therefore, established that at least there are two cytotypes in the population of Ocimum basilicum growing in the humid forest vegetation zone of Nigeria. Analysis of the two cytotypes revealed asymmetrical karyotypes, indicative of advancement in the evolutionary trend of the plant species.
Highlights
Ocimum basilicum, known commonly as sweet basil, is an important aromatic plant of the Lamiaceae family, which has about 252 genera and 6700 species, most of which are medicinal [1,2]
The mitotic chromosome numbers, haploid set length, total long arm, total short arm, and karyotype formulae are presented in Table 2, while Table 3 shows the ka
Chromosome number, 2n = 48 obtained in this work for this plant species agrees with earlier reports which posited that O. basilicum occurs in nature as a tetraploid species with chromosome count of 2n = 4x = 48 [7,24]
Summary
Known commonly as sweet basil, is an important aromatic plant of the Lamiaceae family, which has about 252 genera and 6700 species, most of which are medicinal [1,2]. Among more than 150 species of Ocimum, sweet basil is the major essential oil crop commercially cultivated in many countries [3]. It is found in tropical Asia, Africa, America and subtropical regions of the world, from sea level to an altitude of about 1500 m [4,5]. It is susceptible to frost and the crop growth can be adversely affected in areas which experience heavy and continuous rainfall [7]. The leaves are ovate, often puckered; flower pink or white, with fruits having four small nutlets which are mucilaginous when wet [4]
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