EFFECTS OF CULTIVARS ON THE YIELD AND CONTENTS OF SOME BIOACTIVE COMPONENTS OF BASIL

Abstract

Basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) is an annual plant from Lamiaceae family. The quality and yield of basil depends on its cultivar, environmental factors and growing technology. The aim of this paper was to examine the impact of different cultivars on the quality of basil in the environmental conditions of central Bosnia and Herzegovina. A field experiment was conducted at a private farm in Kakanj. In this study, the yield of fresh and dry mass, total phenol, flavonoids, essential oil content and antioxidant activity were determined. Experimental results showed a significant impact of cultivars on the researched traits. The fresh mass yield ranged from 134.2 (Red rubin) to 298.7 g per plant (Green). The lowest total phenol contents were recorded in the cultivar Minimum (33.78 mg GAE/g) and the highest in the cultivar Green (38.84 mg GAE/g). The antioxidant activity was also significantly dependent on basil cultivar. It ranged from 22.56 (Red rubin) to 52.73 µM Fe2+/g (Minimum).