INFLUENCE OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS ON THE COMPOSITION OF SALVIA DESOLEANA ATZEI & PICCI OIL

The effect of factors such as the parts of the plant utilized, the different types of soil and climatic conditions on the yield and composition of Salvia desoleana oil were investigated. The highest oil yields were obtained from the inflorescences harvested in June and July. The inflorescence oil was found to be rich in linalyl acetate (37.0%) and α-terpinyl acetate (20.3%), whereas the main component of the oil distilled from the biomass without inflorescences was α-terpineol (41.5-42.8%). The plants growing in calcareous soil produced an ester-rich oil while the alcohol component was higher in plants grown in chalk-free soil. The pH and the texture of the soils appeared to have little effect on the composition of the oil. S. desoleana showed itself able to adapt to different types of soil and climatic conditions and the phenology of the species is such that the flowers can be harvested twice a year. © 1999 Allured Publishing Corp.