ISHS Acta Horticulturae 675: III WOCMAP Congress on Medicinal and Aromatic Plants - Volume 1: Bioprospecting and Ethnopharmacology
CHANGES IN ESSENTIAL OIL QUANTITY AND QUALITY INFLUENCED BY ONTOGENETIC FACTORS |
| Author: | E. Németh |
| Keywords: | Achillea spp., biosynthesis, chemotype, Foeniculum vulgare, Hyssopus officinalis, Mentha piperita, Tanacetum vulgare |
| Abstract:
Connection between the developmental stage and the quantity and quality of essential oil was investigated in some model species of the Asteraceae, Lamiaceae and Apiaceae plant families. The accumulation of essential oil decreased continuously during ontogenesis in Tanacetum vulgare. The tendency of accumulation showed an optimum curve in Mentha piperita, Hyssopus officinalis, Majorana hortensis, with a maximum bound to the flowering stage. However, the actual maximum may be influenced by ecological and agrotechnological factors. In the case of Carum carvi and Foeniculum vulgare, the accumulation tendency can be characterised by parallel optimum curves in vegetative and generative organs, with maximum points at different times and different levels. The composition of essential oil of Achillea species during the leaf rosette stage was characterised by the abundant presence of sesquiterpenes, while after the generative differentiation the monoterpenes became dominant. In families Lamiaceae and Apiaceae the compositional changes are continuous not influencing determination of chemotypes. Alterations in composition of the essential oil may be based on structural changes of accumulation organelles or originating from modifications in biosynthesis or metabolization of synthesised products. | |
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