Comparison of Essential oil from leaves and inflorescence of three basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) populations under drought stress.

Abstract

In this paper, the essential oil from leaves and inflorescence of three Ocimum basilicum L. populations (Esfehan, Karaj and Shoshtar) were investigated under drought stress. Experiment was conducted at the Alborz Research farm, Karaj, Iran in 2012. Three populations of O. basilicum L. were treated with three levels of water deficit (30, 60 and 90 % filed capacity). Dry matter production, essential oil ratio and oil yields of leaves and inflorescence were evaluated. Population significantly affected all the measured traits except for essential oil yield of leaves. Dry matter yield was significantly reduced by severe drought stress, wheras the essential oil ratio increased as the applied amount of irrigation water decreased. However, the results showed the highest dry matter (5115.2 kg ha -1 ) and oil yield (27.09 kg ha -1 ) were determined to plant's leaves of Karaj population in the 90 % FC treatment.