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

Clove basil (Ocimum gratissimum L.) is an aromatic herb and grown across tropical and sub tropical parts of the world. It is grown in disturbed area and cultivated due to broad-leaves among basils. It is rich in essential oil and extensively used in traditional medicines of Asia and Africa. Flower bud of Syzygium aromaticum L. and bark from Cinnamomum verum L. are general source of natural eugenol production. Cost of cultivation and commercial extraction of eugenol from these trees are very high and time taking due to long gestation period essential for crop maturity and harvesting. It induced an idea for evaluation of available elite accessions rich in herbage and quality components. The experiment was conducted in Kharif 2021 in RBD design with seven replications. Three diverse accessions were observed significant variation for leaf morphology, quantitative, qualitative and molecular parameters under evaluation. Essential oils of the three accession were found to be rich in eugenol. Among the three accessions alpha-bergamotene and beta-copanene were found to be the other major compounds in DOGr-1 and DOGr-2, while alpha-bergamotene and caryophyllene were found to be the other major compounds in DOGr-3. Maximum yield in terms of herbage, essential oil and eugenol content was observed in DOGr-3. DOGr-3 was found to be unique and diverse for phenotypic characters, yield contributing traits, chemical content and genetic makeup.