Changes in rosewood (Aniba rosaeodora Ducke) essential oil in response to management of commercial plantations in Central Amazonia

Abstract

Rosewood essential oil (REO) is an Amazonian industrial crop required by fragrance and cosmetic industries worldwide. This essential oil (EO) is obtained from a singular resource, the endangered tree species Aniba rosaeodora Ducke. The management of this resource influences the chemical composition of the EO, affecting the quality and international price of the product. A systematic study was performed within the rosewood plantations of two major REO producers. Chemical composition (GC–MS) and REO yields were analyzed to identify the best harvesting periods and the potential sustainable use of other plant parts, such as resprouting shoots, to produce the oil. With a large sample and a well-controlled statistical approach, the study’s methodology allowed us to describe the differences in the REO composition between tree parts and between harvest times. REO yield was highest in branches from the first harvest and in resprouting leaves from the second harvest. In the first harvest, α-pinene was found only in REO from branches and leaves, and cyclosativene was sourced only from branches, regardless of the sampling region. Geraniol was detected only in the first-harvest REOs, while myrcenol was found only in second-harvest REOs. The temporal spacing of harvest rotations and the use of different plant parts in extraction are the main management tools determining the variations in REO. Despite higher EO yield in the stem, the management by crown pruning assures sustainable oil production. Greater understanding of these variations may provide opportunities to expand the production chain of globally exported REO.