Rapid decline in basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) leaf quality due
to postharvest senescence often causes serious commercial losses.
However very little is presently known about postharvest changes
in quality attributes of sweet basil leaves. Sweet basil is a chillingsusceptible
plant of tropical origin and exposure of leaves to
temperatures below 12 ◦C during storage results in development
of chilling injury, which is visually expressed by the appearance of
darkened pitted lesions on the leaves, followed by decay (Lang and
Cameron, 1994). Therefore, low temperature is not an option for
prolonging shelf-life.