The impact of different harvesting and distillation techniques on essential oil extraction in Cupressus torulosa

Abstract

In this experiment, different harvesting and distillation method was employed (Hydro-steam and Steam distillation) to extract essential oil content from C.torulosa. The experiment was laid in Factorial Randomized Block Designs (FRBD) with five different harvesting techniques (HT1, HT2, HT3, HT4 and HT5) and two different distillation techniques (DT1 and DT2). The essential oil content obtained for each method was analysed and compared. It was observed that the oil extraction from Light Pruning (Consisting of the shortening of only greenish branches or twigs) for C.torulosa yielded maximum oil percent (0.68%). Further, steam distillation recorded higher oil extraction percent (0.57%) as compared to hydro-steam distillations (0.53%). The highest oil extraction percent was recorded (0.72%) for Light pruning (HT5) X Steam distillation (DT2). It is concluded that the essential oil extraction percent differed significantly due to different harvesting and distillation techniques in C.torulosa. While higher differences between hydro-steam distillation and steam distillation were observed, both methods resulted in high yields of essential oil content. Hydro-steam distillation is a more-rapid and simpler technique than steam distillation so it is feasible under farm field conditions.