Factibility of growing basil as an alternative crop for adaptation to climate change in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Extremely high temperatures and droughts are expected in Bosnia and Herzegovina in the coming years due to climate change. These phenomena negatively affect most traditionally grown crops. However, optimal growth conditions can be provided for plants that originate from warmer climates. One of the alternative species that can be grown in high summer temperatures is basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine the impact of different cultivars and growing locations on the contents of some bioactive components, yield, and the possibility of growing basil under the environmental conditions of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The treatment used in this study consisted of a combination of four different cultivars (Genovese, Minimum, Green, and Red Rubin) and two growing locations (Kakanj and Butmir). The results showed that in Bosnia and Herzegovina, favorable conditions exist for growing basil, and different cultivars and growing locations had significant effects on basil yield and quality. The highest fresh mass yield (447.28 g [plant.sup.-1]), dry mass yield (98.84 g [plant.sup.-1]), and oil content (1.49 mL 100 [g.sup.-1]) were recorded in 'Green'. The highest total phenolic content (32.49 mg gallic acid equivalent [g.sup.-1]) and antioxidant capacity (43.43 [micro]M [Fe.sup.2+] [g.sup.-1]) were recorded in 'Minimum'. Furthermore, the fresh mass yield and dry mass yield were higher in Butmir (446.57 and 85.62 g [plant.sup.-1], respectively) compared to the growing location of Kakanj (174.08 and 85.62 g [plant.sup.-1], respectively). Key words: Antioxidant activity, basil, climate change, cultivar, essential oil, growing location, Ocimum basilicum.