The effect of different harvesting methods on the yield and quality of basil oil in the Ord River irrigation area

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1-1-1992

Journal Title

Journal of Essential Oil Research

Keywords

Ociumum basilicum, Labiate, basil oil, linalool, methyl chavicol, essential oil.

Disciplines

Agronomy and Crop Sciences

Abstract

Essential oil from steam distilled whole plants of basil, Ocimum basilicum L., cv. Large Green, harvested with different flower sizes was compared with oil produced from basil flowers only. Higher yields were obtained when distilling basil with long flower spikes (12 to 20 cm) rather than with shorter flower spikes. Distilling the whole plant gave an oil with a higher percentage of methyl chavicol whereas the flower spikes produced an oil richer in linalool.

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