Essential oil content and composition of aniseed

Abstract

The field experiments were carried out during 2011 and 2012 in three localities in Vojvodina (Serbia) with the application of six different fertilizer regimes aimed at determining the content and composition of the aniseed essential oil. It was found that the average essential oil content of aniseed, obtained by hydrodistillation, was 3.72%. The weather conditions during the year and the locality had a statistically significant effect on the essential oil content, while different source of fertilizers was not statistically significant for the essential oil content and its composition. Essential oil composition was determined using GC-MS technique, and a total of 15 compounds were identified. It was found that the major component was trans-anethole, 94.78% on the average, and the coefficient of variation was 2%. The second most abundant component was γ-himachalene with 2.53% (CV 28%). All other components were present in less than 1%.

Keywords

• fertilization
• location
• Pimpinella anisum L.
• trans-anethole
• weather conditions