Atmospheric pressure MOCVD was used to deposit ZnO layers on sapphire and homoepitaxial template under different oxygen flow rates. Oxygen content affects the lattice constant value and texture coefficient of the films as evidenced by the y-2y peaks position and their intensity. Films deposited at lower oxygen flow rate possess higher value of strain and stresses. ZnO films deposited at high oxygen flow rates show intense UV emissions while samples prepared under oxygen deficient conditions exhibited defect related emission along with UV luminescence. The results are compared to the ZnO films deposited homoepitaxially on annealed ZnO samples. The data obtained suggest that ZnO stoichiometry is responsible for the structural and optical quality of ZnO films.