Sweet basil varieties are currently undergoing trials to select for cold hardiness and resistance to threatening diseases. Rutgers researchers are developing a sweet basil variety that will be less sensitive to the cold and resistance to basil downy mildew.
Sweet basil is the most commercially important annual culinary herb crop grown in the U.S. and one of the most popular garden herbs. Commercially, basil is grown for culinary use for both fresh and dry consumption and also to a limited extent is a commercial source of essential oil and oleoresin that are used in perfumes, food flavors, and aromatherapy products.
Source
New Use Agriculture and Natural Plant Products
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