THE FLORAL AND SCENT CHARACTERISTICS OF LAVANDIN FROM THE MICROPROPAGATION AND CUTTING PROPAGATION

Abstract

Lavandin (Lavandula x intermedia Emeric ex Loisel.) is one of the most valuable species for the fragrance industries due to its extraordinary scent. This research was carried out to compare the floral and scent characteristics from the micropropagation and cutting propagation in field conditions for four years between 2014 and 2017 in Isparta-a city in the south-western part of Turkey, which is called “The Lavender Valley of Turkey”. The experiment was arranged according to a randomized complete-block design with three replications. In comparison with the propagation methods, the yield and floral characteristics of the micropropagation were higher than the cutting propagation. The fresh stem flower yield, the dried flower yield, and the examined characteristics of the lavandin were higher in the subsequent years compared to the previous years. While the highest plant height (90.10 cm), the spike length (10.16 cm), the leaf length (56.16 mm), the spike number per plant (479.0 spike plant-1), the cluster number per spike (10.70 cluster spike-1), the fresh stem flower yield (7791.0 kg ha-1), and the dried flower yield (2054.6 kg ha-1) were obtained from the micropropagation method in the year 2017, the lowest values of these characteristics were determined from the cutting propagation in 2014. The essential oil contents of the lavandin were not significantly different in both propagation methods. The essential oil contents of fresh stem flower and the dried flower of lavandin were decreased in the subsequent years, and the highest essential oil content (1.27 and 7.36%, respectively) was determined from 2014, and the lowest essential oil content (1.21 and 6.92%, respectively) from 2017. The linalool, linalyl acetate, camphor, α-terpineol, and borneol L were close to each other in both propagation methods, while the eucalyptol content of the micropropagation was higher than the cutting propagation.