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Title: Quality of four basil types after storage at 3 to 10 C

Author
item PENELOPE, PERKINS-VEAZIE - North Carolina State University
item Davis, Angela
item MANESS, NIELS - Oklahoma State University
item RICE, STANLEY - Southeastern Oklahoma State University
item HYATT, JAMIE - Southeastern Oklahoma State University
item HEIL, SARAH - Southeastern Oklahoma State University

Submitted to: HortScience
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/25/2009
Publication Date: 6/10/2009
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.

Interpretive Summary:

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.