Lemon basil (Ocimum × citriodorum Vis.), or maeng-lak in Thai, is a member of the
Lamiaceae (Labiatae) family that contains about 65 species of annual and perennial herbs
and shrubs indigenous to the tropical and subtropical zones of Asia, Africa and South
America. This herbaceous plant is largely cultivated in northeastern Africa and southern Asia
and considered to be a natural hybrid between Ocimum basilicum and Ocimum
americanum. Besides, it is one of the most economical important spices and medicinal herbs
in Ocimum section on account of its strong lemon fragrance used in cuisine, effective
essential oils against various pathogens and high antioxidant content and capability [1]-[6].
Report on lemon basil cultured in vitro was really infrequent. So far, there had been only
one completed research publication on plantlet regeneration from nodal explants of this
species. The highest multiple shoot initiation (15.2 shoots per explant) was occurred when
lemon basil node had been placed on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium containing 1.0
mg/l BA (benzyl adenine) and 0.025 mg/l IAA (indole-3-acetic acid). Then, rooting was
successfully obtained on half strength MS medium comprised 0.5 mg/l IBA (indole-3-butyric
acid) [7].