Effect of density and year of cultivation on essential oil content and chemical compounds of Achillea millefolium subsp. elbursensis

Abstract

To domesticate and cultivate Achillea millefolium subsp. Elbursensis Hub.-Mor., its seeds were collected from natural habitat in the Dizin region and were cultivated in the research field in March 2017. Effects of cultivation density (5, 8, 12 shrubs per m² and cultivation year (2017 and 2018) on essential oil percentage and main chemical compounds were investigated. Essential oil extraction of flowering shoots was carried out by the hydrodistillation method. Determination of chemical compounds was done by (GC) and (GC-MS). Chamazulene was determined as the main compound in all treatments. Effect of cultivation year and density on the essential oil content and main compounds was significant. The highest essential oil percentage was found in 12 shrubs per m² density during two examined years. The highest essential oil yield (0.42%) was observed at 12 shrubs per m² in 2018. But the lowest essential oil percentage (0.14%) was found at 5 shrubs per m² in 2017. The maximum content of camphor (8.6%) and borneol (10.30%) was obtained at 5 shrubs per m² density in 2018. The highest chamazulene (75.63%) was found at 12 shrubs per m² density in 2018.