Chemical diversity in basil (Ocimum sp.) germplasm.

The present study aimed to chemically characterize 31 accessions and seven cultivars of basil. The percentage composition of the essential oils of the accessions and cultivars was based on the 14 most abundant constituents: 1,8-cineole, linalool, methyl chavicol, neral, nerol, geraniol, geranial, methyl cinnamate, β-bourbonene, methyl eugenol, α-trans-bergamotene, germacrene-D, epi-α-cadinol, and δ-cadinene. The genetic materials were classified into eight clusters according to the chemical composition of the essential oils: Cluster 1--mostly linalool and 1,8-cineole; Cluster 2--mostly linalool, geraniol, and α-trans-bergamotene; Cluster 3--mostly linalool, methyl chavicol, methyl cinnamate, and β-bourbonene; Cluster 4--mostly linalool, methyl chavicol, epi-α-cadinol, and α-trans-bergamotene; Cluster 5--mainly linalool, methyl eugenol, α-trans-bergamotene, and epi-α-cadinol; Cluster 6--mainly linalool, geraniol, and epi-α-cadinol; Cluster 7--mostly linalool and methyl chavicol; Cluster 8--mainly geranial and neral.

The impact of hybridization on the volatile and sensorial profile of Ocimum basilicum L.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the volatile and sensorial profile of basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) by quantitative descriptive analysis (QDA) of the essential oil of three hybrids ("Cinnamon" × "Maria Bonita," "Sweet Dani" × "Cinnamon," and "Sweet Dani" × "Maria Bonita"). Twelve descriptive terms were developed by a selected panel that also generated the definition of each term and the reference samples.