Water Stress-Induced Alterations in Essential Oil Content and Composition of Sweet Basil

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Abstract
Mild and moderate plant water stress increased sweet basil leaf essential oil content and altered oil composition. After 21 d of plant water deficit, the oil content of leaves increased from 3.1 to 6.2 μl.g1 leaf dry wt. as xylem water potential (ψ) decreased from −0.30 to −1.12 MPa. Significant decreases in leaf dry weight and stem dry weight were observed as plant water deficit increased. Only leaf area from plants subjected to a mild water deficit (-0.68 MPa) was not significantly reduced compared to the control, non-stressed plants. Water stress altered the oil composition (both as a relative percentage of total oil and μl.g1 leaf dry weight). Linalool and methyl chavicol increased as water stress increased, while the relative proportion of sesquiterpenes decreased.