Secagem, armazenamento e controle genético de caracteres agronômicos e químicos de manjericão (Ocimum basilicum L.)

Abstract

The aim of this work was to evaluate the influence of drying of leaves, the storage time of the essential oil and to study the inheritance of agronomic and chemical characters of basil (Ocimum basilicum L.). Three assays were carried out, where the effect of drying time of leaves, the influence of storage in different environments and the study of inheritance of agronomic and chemical characters of basil were realized. In the first assay we observed a linear reduction of essential oil content from 0.93 to 0.60% for days of drying of the leaves. We observed a reduction of the linalool content from 76.38 to 74.09%, while the 1,8-cineole and geraniol percentages were not affected. Moisture of leaves was stabilized after the third day of drying. In the second assay we noted that the essential oil of basil can be stored in freezer and at room temperature for eight months. The characters plant height, essential oil yield and linalool content are controlled by more than one major gene, which present additive and dominant effects. High heritability was observed for the characters plant height, dry weight of leaves and linalool and 1,8 cineole content. The hybrid Genovese x Maria Bonita presented heterosis of 32.31% and 131.54% for plant height and dry weight of leaves, respectively.