Production of essential oils from different species in two localities of Aragon, Spain

Abstract

The demand of essential oils (EO) is increasing due to the interest of different industries (agrifood, cosmetic and pharmaceutical) in substituting chemically-synthesized constituents. Thus, it is necessary to cultivate medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) in a standardised way, in order to ensure the constant and homogeneous production for the industry. Moreover, the need to protect plant biodiversity, create an opportunity for farmers and foresters to diversify their production and improve their income. Five species (Satureja montana L., Origanum vulgare L. subsp. virens, Salvia officinalis L., and Lavandula x intermedia Emeric ex Loisel 'Grosso' and 'Super') were cultivated and harvested during four years in two localities, Bernues and Ejea de los Caballeros (Aragon, Spain). EO distillation was conducted at pilot plant scale, in a semi-industrial steam drag with at least 50 kg of dry biomass. The results of content and chemical characterization of the respective essential oils will be presented. Moreover, similar EO production was observed between locations for the rest of the species and no significant differences were observed in the average content of the different species between localities due to the fluctuations in the individual yields, which could be attributed to the climatic conditions of each season. This suggests that the species evaluated can be an alternative crop for different edaphoclimatic zones of Aragon with an essential oil content in the average of the selected species.