ARS | Publication request: Quality of four basil types after storage at 3 to 10 C

Submitted to: HortScience
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: February 25, 2009
Publication Date: June 10, 2009
Citation: Penelope, P.M., Davis, A.R., Maness, N., Rice, S., Hyatt, J., Heil, S. 2009. Quality of four basil types after storage at 3 to 10 C [abstract]. HortScience. 44(3):566.

Technical Abstract: Sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum) has global culinary use as a fresh herb. Basil can also be dried and extracted for its essential oils and grows extremely well in the warm climate of Oklahoma. Several cultivars of sweet basil are known to be chill sensitive when stored below 7 C. In this study, four cultivars/types were grown organically at Lane, OK, in 2008, harvested at bloom stage, and held at 3, 5, or 10 C for 7 days in vented plastic bags. 'Mrs. Burns Lemon' and 'Ethiopian' were most sensitive to low temperature storage, although all types showed chilling injury (leaf browning, flower discoloration, and chlorophyll loss) at 3 C. 'Nufar' had much less chill injury than 'Genovese.' All varieties except Nufar had high leaf abscission at 10 C. Holding basil below 7 C for less than 4 days may help preserve quality if availability of dryer space is limited.