ACCUMULATION DYNAMICS AND COMPONENT COMPOSITION OF THE ESSENTIAL OIL OF ROSMARINUS OFFICINALIS L. GROWING ON THE CRIMEA SOUTHERN COAST
The paper presents data on the accumulation dynamics and composition of essential oil (EO) varieties of Rosmarinus officinalis L. of the Nikitsky Botanical Garden selection horizon. In conditions of the Crimea Southern Coast rosemary flowers twice a year: in spring and autumn. The first flowering starts during the second half of February and lasts until mid-May, its blossom peak being observed in April. The oil content accounts for 0,67-0,80% of wet weight. Reflowering takes place since the second half of September till November, the peak blossom is observed in October. In the ontogenesis phase, the rosemary EO composition has been detected by means of GLC-MS (gas-liquid chromatography - mass spectrometry) methods. The authors have studied the changes of the EO content in 53 components of the white-flower form, 51of which have been identified (the fraction of remaining EO components does not reach 0.01%). The main EO components are the following: a-pinene -12.0 8.3%; -1.8 cineol -22.9 14.2%; gel -32.6 18.9%; linalool - 8.2% (April). Also, the oil contains: ß-pinene -7.2 3.3%; borneol -5.1 2.6%; bornilacetat - 4.0 1.1%; linalyl acetate 2.1% (April); a-terpiniol -2.1 1.5%.The authors have identified an optimum time period for harvesting raw material to obtain a quality essential oil.