Turkish Journal of Field Crops 2013, 18(1), 58-65 DETERMINATION OF LAVENDER AND LAVANDIN CULTIVARS (Lavandula sp.) CONTAINING HIGH QUALITY ESSENTIAL OIL IN ISPARTA, TURKEY Nimet KARA*, Hasan BAYDAR Suleyman Demirel University, Agriculture Faculty, Department of Field Crops, Isparta, TURKEY *Corresponding author: [email protected] Received: 17.12.2012 ABSTRACT The research was carried out during the 2009 and 2010 growing period with the aim of determining agricultural and technological characteristics of lavender cultivars.When the agricultural characteristics of the lavender and lavandin cultivars were examined, in both years the highest fresh stem flower yield was obtained from Dutch (5467 and 8204 kg ha-1, respectively) and the highest dry stemless flower yield from Super A (1083 and 1463 kg ha-1, respectively) cultivars. The highest essential oil content in both fresh stem flowers (the first year 2.00 %, the second year 1.90 %) and dry stemless flowers (the first year 9.62 %, the second year 8.87 %) was determined from Silver. Linalool, linalyl acetate and camphor were determined as the main components of essential oil in the lavender cultivar. The highest linalool content in fresh stem flowers was determined to be from Dutch (43.3 %) in the first year and from Vera (43.9 %) in the second year. The highest linalyl acetate content from Super A (42.5 and 19.8 %, respectively) and camphor content from Super A (19.8 %) in the first year and Dutch (10.0 %) in the second year were determined. The highest linalool content in dry stemless flowers from Dutch (46.5 and 47.0 %, respectively), linalyl acetate content from Super A (32.8 and 29.5 %, respectively) in both years and camphor content from Silver (12.6 %) in the first year and Dutch (10.9 %) in the second year were obtained. Keywords: Lavender, lavandin, essential oil, essential oil components INTRODUCTION lavandin cultivars. Therefore, lavender essential oils are used in perfumes and aromatherapy, and lavandin Lavandula, belonging to the Lamiaceae family, is a essential oils are used in soap, detergents and cosmetics precious essential oil plant. Lavandula, which is cultivated products (Lis-Balchin, 2002). However, lavandin essential around the world, is a significant perfume, cosmetic and oil yield is higher than that from lavenders (Beetham and pharmaceutical plant because of the high content and Entwistle, 1982). Lavandula sp. is one of important quality essential oil (Guenther, 1952). Lavandula oil is medicinal and aromatic plants that are cultivated in especially useful for use in nervous system stimulants, Turkey. Isparta is the most significant lavandin (L.x hypnotics, sedatives, tranquilizers and stress repellents. In intermedia Super A) production area of Turkey. In Isparta, addition, it has useful dermatological uses in the treatment lavandin is cultivated on an area of 250 hectares, with an sunburn and skin rashes (Cavanagh and Wilkinson, 2002), annual production of 2.5 tons (Kara and Baydar, 2011). as well as strong antiseptic (disinfectant), and antibiotic (bacteria killing) effects (Lis-Balchin and Hart, 1999). In Isparta, average fresh stem flower and dry stemless Lavandula is a plant which is fairly resistant to flower yields per hectare of L.x intermedia Super A are 5- drought and temperature (Weiss, 1997). There are 39 7.5 and 1-2.5 tons, respectively (Baydar and Erbas, 2007). Lavandula species (Lavandula sp.) which are mostly of Essential oil content of lavandin varies between 1.0-1.5 % Mediterranean origin. However, there are three important in fresh stem flowers and between 5.0-6.0% in dry species within the genus producing lavender (Lavandula stemless flowers (Baydar, 2009). Quality and marketable angustifolia Mill. = L. officinalis L. = L. vera DC), value of lavender essential oil is measured according to lavandin (Lavandula intermedia Emeric ex Loisel. = L. essential oil composition. Generally, high quality lavender hybrida L.) and Spike lavender (Lavandula spica = L. essential oil contains high levels of linalool and linalyl latifolia Medik.) (Tucker, 1985). Lavender essential oil is acetate, but the scent of essential oil deteriorates as the higher quality than that produced by lavandins because camphor content increases (Adam, 2006). Lavender lavender essential oil has lower camphor content than essential oil has more than 100 components with linalool, 58 linalyl acetate, 1,8-cineol and camphor as the major species Mill. and Dutch, Giant Hidcote and Super A constituents. Linalyl acetate in lavender essential oil and lavandin cultivars belonging to Lavandula x intermedia linalool in lavandin essential oil are higher (Beetham and Emeric ex Lois. were used as plant materials. These Entwistle, 1982). Generally, lavender essential oil is better lavender cultivars are among the important varieties that quality because lavender essential oil has a lower camphor have high commercial value in world. The samples content than lavandin cultivars (Lis-Balchin, 2002; belonging to these cultivars were taken in the years 2009 Baydar, 2009). The study was conducted with the aim to and 2010 from the experiment founded in 2007 as four determine the lavender and lavandin cultivars that have replications in a Randomized Complete Block Design at high dry stemless flowers containing high quality essential the Experimental Farm of the Agriculture Faculty of oil (high linalyl acetate and low camphor) and high Suleyman Demirel University. The distance between rows adaptation ability. was 1 m and intra row spaces were 50 cm (McGimbsey and Porter, 1999). Each plot area was 6 m in length and MATERIALS AND METHODS had 6 rows. Experimental Conditions In the research, Raya, Munstead, Vera and Silver Lavender and lavandin cultivars were used in the lavender cultivars belonging to Lavandula angustifolia experiment and their locations are shown in Table 1. Table 1. Lavender and lavandin cultivars used in experiment Species Cultivar name Commercial name Origin (locations) Raya Lavender Bulgaria –Kazanlık L. angustifolia Munstead “ France- Grasse Vera “ Bulgaria-Kazanlık Silver “ France- Grasse Dutch Lavandin Germany- Ahrensburg L.x intermedia Giant Hidcote “ France-Grasse Super A “ Turkey-Isparta Some morphological characteristics and harvest dates and lavandin cultivars cultivated in Isparta ecological belonging to the means of the experiment year of lavender conditions are shown in Table 2 (Kara, 2011). Table 2. Some morphological characteristics and harvest dates belong to lavender cultivars L. angustifolia L.x intermedia Morphological characteristics Raya Munstead Vera Silver Dutch G. Hidcote Super A Flower colors L 44.6 44.3 44.1 44.2 37.0 38.0 44.0 (h0) +a 22.8 19.7 18.4 19.6 19.9 24.4 20.3 -b 20.3 17.8 16.0 16.7 16.7 21.9 17.7 Plant height (cm) 69.7 63.2 85.0 83.2 86.2 86.0 81.5 Growing form Upright Upright S. Aslope S. Aslope S. Aslope S. Aslope S. Aslope Ear number per plant 1217.8 955.7 860.3 632.1 941.7 821.7 600.5 Stem length with ear (cm) 30.3 24.1 33.6 36.8 35.7 33.2 35.8 Ear length (cm) 6.9 6.3 9.6 9.5 12.4 9.8 9.2 Flower number per ear (flower/ear) 34.9 29.9 63.0 64.1 65.7 61.2 73.5 Cluster number per ear (cluster/ear) 6.3 5.4 10.2 8.4 11.0 10.0 9.0 Harvest dates 2009 June 22 June 22 July 13 July 12 July 13 July 16 July 10 2010 June 22 June 22 July 12 July 10 July 12 July 14 July 08 L: shine +a: red, -b: blue, S: Semi Climatic Data and Soil Structure 2010). With these climate characteristics, Isparta has of the Experimental Area features of the semi-arid climatic characteristics found in the Southwestern Anatolia region. The average Meteorological data for the growing seasons are temperatures and total precipitation in 2009 and 2010 shown in Table 3. Isparta Province is located at a 37° 45' were 12.9 and 13.7 °C and 666.7 and 710.4 mm N latitude, 30° 33' E longitude and 1050 m altitude. The respectively (Table 3). Meteorological data for 2009 and long-term annual mean temperature, relative humidity, 2010 were higher compared to long-term meteorological total annual precipitation, wind speed and sunshine data. duration per day in the area are 12.2 °C, 55 %, 493.4 mm, 2.4 m s-1 and 7.6 h, respectively (Anonymous, 2009- 59 Table 3. Meteorological data of the experimental field* Climatic Months Total or Years factors Jan. Feb. March April May June July August Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Average Average 2009 3.4 4.0 5.5 11.0 15.0 20.9 24.6 24.1 18.0 15.1 7.5 5.7 12.9 temperature 2010 4.3 5.6 8.6 11.5 16.5 21.9 24.4 26.4 20.3 12.6 7.0 4.8 13.7 (0C) Long years 1.7 2.6 5.9 10.5 15.5 20.1 23.4 25.8 18.3 12.8 6.9 3.0 12.2 2009 124.7 70.3 55.2 40.4 66.6 26.8 18.0 0.2 26.2 18.1 51.6 168.6 666.7 Precipitation 2010 68.0 136.8 33.2 47.0 32.4 64.5 40.1 0.2 29.7 79.1 66.8 112.6 710.4 (mm) Long years 64.2 54.9 52.8 58.8 46.0 27.8 12.8 0.3 15.4 38.0 51.5 70.9 493.4 * Meteorology Station, Isparta Soil from a depth of 60 cm was sampled before setting RESULTS AND DISCUSSION the experiment and was subjected to physicochemical + Fresh Stem, Dry Stem and Dry Stemless Flower Yield analysis.