Introduction
Basil belongs to the genus Ocimum. Basil is also a common name for several plants in the genera Acinos (e.g., Acinos arvensis, basil thyme) and Clinopodium (e.g., Clinopodium vulgare, wild basil). In addition to cultural and traditional rituals, basil is one of the most popular herbs in the cooking and food network with its wide range of applications, especially in food flavoring and preservation. Sweet basil is a common name for the culinary herb Ocimum basilicum of the family Lamiaceae or Labiatae (the mint family) and is the most economically important among all Ocimum spp. (Figure 1). This chapter focuses on Ocimum basilicum, although other Ocimum basils are briefly covered. An essential oil is a plant