Identification of suitable chemotype of Ocimum gratissimum L. for cost effective eugenol production

Phenotypic Variations and Bioactive Constituents among Selected Ocimum Species

“…Consequently, the two O. gratissimum cultivars in our study, Vana holy basil, and African basil, belong to the eugenol and thymol chemotypes, respectively. In line with our findings, various authors have also documented that eugenol constitutes the predominant volatile oil compound in Vana holy basil, accounting for more than 50% of the total composition [ 38 , 48 , 54 ]. Furthermore, thymol and cymene were also reported as primary components in the volatile oil of African basil cultivars [ 11 , 55 , 56 ].…”

“…Consistent with our results, previous studies have reported varying essential oil content (EOC) for O. gratissimum , ranging from 0.11% to 1.5%. This variability is attributed to factors such as different chemotypes, production seasons, plant parts used, and cultivation regions, which were documented [ 12 , 38 , 48 , 49 ]. A vast variety of aromatic compounds are present in the essential oil of basil species, which is recognized for its intricate complexity.…”

“…Earlier studies have demonstrated a significant morphological diversity within Ocimum species, a result of factors such as polyploidy, aneuploidy, inter-and intra-specific hybridizations, as well as cultivation and breeding practices [10,29,[33][34][35]. As a polymorphic species, Ocimum gratissimum exhibits a broader range of morpho-chemical traits, including plant height and fresh herb yield spanning from 46 to 123 cm and 98 to 618.3 g/plant, respectively [5,[36][37][38][39], consistent with our own findings. In the case of Ocimum basilicum cultivars, previous research has shown variability in height (29.2 to 100 cm), canopy diameter (24.9 to 97.7 cm), and fresh yield (140 to 634 g/plant), influenced by factors such as growing conditions, cultivation seasons, geographical location, and specific cultivars [5,29,30,37,40].…”