Ocimum sanctum (Holy Basil)

Botanical Name: Ocimum sanctum

Family: Labiatae (Lamiaceae)

Plant Parts Used: Leaves, seeds, and roots

Uses:

• Essential oil is used for flavoring food products, bakery items, confectioneries, condiments, and toiletry products like mouthwash and dental cream.
• Exhibits anticancer, antibacterial, and antifungal properties.
• Used as an aromatic carminative, antipyretic, expectorant, and diaphoretic.
• Effective in treating viral encephalitis in children.
• Recognized as a febrifuge and antimalarial plant.
• Used in snake bites, mosquito bites, and scorpion stings.
• Dropped into the ear for earache and malarial fever.
• Used in bronchitis, gastric disorders, and digestive ailments.
• Helps cure skin diseases and intestinal worms.
• Seeds are used for genitourinary system disorders, constipation, and piles.

Soil Requirements:

• Grows in a wide range of soils, from rich loam to poor laterite soils.
• Fertile soils rich in humus with good water holding capacity and drainage are preferred.
• Sandy loam soil is best.
• pH range: 4.3–9.1.

Climatic Requirements:

• Thrives well in tropical and subtropical climates.
• Requires medium rainfall and humid conditions up to 1800 m above sea level.
• Long days and high temperatures favor plant growth and yield.
• Drought-tolerant but requires irrigation in dry conditions.

Improved Varieties:

• RRL-OC-9
• RRL-OC-11

Propagation Method:

• By seeds
• Seeds are mixed with sand in a 1:10 proportion and sown in March–April in raised nursery beds.
• Seed rate: 125–200 g/ha.
• Seeds germinate within 10 days.
• Seedlings are ready for transplanting in 7 weeks or at 4–5 leaf stage (8–10 cm height).

Planting Time: Onset of monsoon or mid-rainy season (June–July).

Spacing:

• Transplanted on ridges and furrows.
• Recommended spacing: 60 × 45 cm or 60 × 60 cm.

Weeding & Earthing Up:

• Weeding is necessary for the first 2–3 months until plants are well established.
• Earthing up is done up to 4 months after planting.

Manuring & Fertilization:

• FYM (Farmyard manure): 10 t/ha.
• Recommended fertilizer dose: 40:40:40 kg NPK/ha per year.

Irrigation:

• Requires frequent irrigation for healthy growth.
• Irrigation every 15 days in winter and every 10 days in summer.

Harvesting:

• Harvesting stage: When the plant is in full bloom and lower leaves start turning yellow.
• Harvesting method: Cut the plants 15–20 cm above ground level on a bright sunny day.
• First harvest: 85–100 days after planting.
• Subsequent harvests: Every 65–75 days.
• The crop provides economical yields for 6–7 years.

Yield:

• Herbage yield: 15–20 t/ha.
• Essential oil yield: 65–70 kg/ha.
• Oil content in whole herb: 0.1–0.23%.

Oil Constituents:

• Chavicol (70–80%).