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The curry plant [Helichrysum italicum (Roth) G. Don in Loudon ssp. italicum or H. angustifolium (Lam.) DC (Asteraceae)], a popular ornamental herb with a curry-like aroma, was chemically evaluated to identify the essential oil constituents responsible for its aroma. Leaves and flowers from greenhouse-grown plants were harvested at full bloom. Essential oils were extracted from the dried leaves via hydrodistillation and the chemical constituents analyzed by gas chromatography (GC) and GC/mass spectrometry. The essential oil content was 0.67% (v/w). Sixteen compounds were identified in the oil and included: neryl acetate (51.4%), pinene (17.2%), eudesmol (6.9%), geranyl propionate (3.8%),β-eudesmol (1.8%), limonene (1.7%), and camphene (1.6%). While the aroma of the curry plant is similar to that of a mild curry powder, the volatile chemical profile of the curry plant does not resemble that reported for commercial curry mixtures.
Essential oils were extracted from leaves, flowers, and stems of Ocimum basilicurn, O. kilimandscharicum, and O. micranthum by solvent extraction, hydrodistillation, and steam distillation for essential oil content and the oil analyzed by GC and GC/MS for composition. While the yield of essential oil was consistently higher from steam distillation than hydrodistillation, a similar number of compounds was recovered from both hydrodistillation and steam distillation. Though the relative concentration of the major constituents was similar by both methods, the absolute amounts were higher with steam distillation. Essential oil content and composition varied by plant species and plant part. Essential oil content was highest in flowers for O. basilicum and in leaves for O. micranthum. No significant differences were observed in essential oil yield and relative concentration of major constituents using fresh or dry samples and using samples from 75 g to 10 g of dry plant tissue. While minor differences between hydrodistillation and steam distillation were observed, both methods resulted in high yields and good recovery of essential oil constituents. Hydrodistillation is a more-rapid and simpler technique than steam and permits the extraction of essential oil where steam is not accessible.
An experimental steam distillation unit has been designed, built, and tested for the extraction of essential oils from peppermint and spearmint. The unit, using a 130-gal (510-liter) distillation tank, is intermediate in size between laboratory-scale extractors and commercial-sized distilleries, yet provides oil in sufficient quantity for industrial evaluation. The entire apparatus-a diesel-fuel-fired boiler, extraction vessel, condenser, and oil collector-is trailer-mounted, making it transportable to commercial farms or research stations. Percentage yields of oil per dry weight from the unit were slightly less than from laboratory hydrodistillations, but oil quality and terpene composition were similar.
Abstract
Foliage of field-grown muskmelon (Cucumis melo L. var. reticulatus Ser.) is susceptible to injury induced by ambient concentrations of ozone. Foliar injury symptoms consisted of interveinal chlorosis of the adaxial surface of the leaf tissue followed by bleaching of the foliage and necrosis. Fully mature leaves were affected more than younger leaves. Controlled fumigations of muskmelon plants with known concentrations of ozone produced foliar symptoms identical to those observed in the field. A differential cultivar response to ozone is reported and potentially tolerant genotypes are identified.
The aroma volatiles of ripe fresh `GoldRush' and `Golden Delicious' apples (Malus ×domestica Borkh) were examined using dynamic headspace to capture the volatiles and gas chromatography (GC)–GC–mass spectroscopy (MS) analysis for compound identification. A total of 21 aroma volatiles were identified, with 16 being common to both cultivars: toluene, butyl acetate, hexyl formate, 2-methylbutyl acetate, xylene, butyl propionate, pentyl acetate, s-butyl butanoate, hexyl acetate, iso-butyl 2-methylbutanoate, hexyl propionate, hexyl butanoate, hexyl 2-methylbutanoate, hexyl hexanoate, a-farnesene, and ethyl phthalate. Three volatiles [dipropyl disulfide, pentyl 2-methylpropionate, and 2,6-bis(1,1-dimethylethyl)-2,5-cyclohexadiene-1,4-dione] were unique to `Golden Delicious'; two compounds (nonanal and nerolidol) were unique to `GoldRush'. Most identified compounds were esters. Hexyl acetate (18.39%) was the major volatile in `Golden Delicious', while butyl acetate (13.40%) was the highest in `GoldRush'.
The volatiles of muskmelon (Cucumis melo L. reticulatis cv. Mission) were sampled by dichloromethane extraction and dynamic headspace methods and analyzed by gas chromatography (GC) and GC–mass spectroscopy (MS). A total of 34 constituents were identified, with esters contributing 8%–92% of the total volatiles. Butyl propionate, ethyl 3-methylpentanoate, hexadecanoic acid, methyl (methylthio)acetate, propyl butyrate, phenylpropyl alcohol, and vanillin, were recovered only by solvent extraction, while hexanal was only detected using dynamic headspace sampling. Methyl butyrate 35.2%, ethyl acetate 17.1%, butyl acetate 11.6%, ethyl propionate 8.3%, and 3-methylbutyl acetate 6.3% were the major constituents by solvent extraction sampling method. Butyl acetate 35.5%, 3-methylbutyl acetate 20.9%, ethyl acetate 7.3%, 2-butyl acetate 5.6%, and hexyl acetate 3.8% were the major constituents recovered by headspace sampling. Fruit tissue was also separated into five layers (exocarp, outer mesocarp, middle mesocarp, inner mesocarp, and seed cavity) and the volatile constituents differed significantly in content and composition by tissue.
Artemisia annua L. is an aromatic and medicinal plant of importance for its volatile essential oils, and the non-volatile artemisinin used in the treatment of malaria. To determine the optimum time of planting for growth and the accumulation of essential oils, seedlings of A. annua (Purdue accession 012) were transplanted into the field in Central Indiana in a RBD with 3 replications on April 25, May 24, June 24, and July 25, 1988. Plant samples were harvested every 2 weeks until first frost.
The April and May transplanting dates produced the tallest plants (>180 cm) while the May transplants accumulated the greatest fresh and dry weights. The average increase in plant height was greatest for the June 24 planting date at 9.8 cm per week. Regardless of planting date, all plants began to flower by early August and growth rate began to decrease by late August. Accumulation of essential oil (as rel. % dry wt.) was similar for all planting dates. Essential oil increased until floral initiation, then decreased for 2 weeks after which there was a rapid increase in oil accumulation. Maximum oil accumulation from all planting dates was reached on Sept. 28 after which growth continued to increase.
Methyl cinnamate and citral, compounds used in large quantities by perfume and flavoring industries, are the major constituents of essential oils found in certain basil varieties. The composition and quantity of oil, sequestered in as many as 16 different types of glandular structures, however, has been shown to change over time with plant development. In this study, we used scanning electron microscopy to characterize glands associated with leaves and flower parts of 3 lines of Ocimum basilicum, 2 with a high percentage of metyl cinnamate and one with high citral (as rel. percent of total oil). Density and distribution of oil producing glands were visualized with a tissue printing method on adaxial and abaxial leaf surfaces of young, mature, and post-mature leaves. Scanning electron micrographs revealed the morphology of six types of glandular structures. Density of oil-producing glands decreased with leaf expansion. The tissue printing method allowed for rapid visualization of oil-containing glands. The density of resulting prints will be easily quantified with computer image analysis.