Variability and chemical composition of the extractive content of woody residues from three European orchard species: apricot (Prunus Armeniaca L.), olive (Olea Europea L.), and orange trees (Citrus Sinensis L.)

Abstract

AbstractBackgroundThe huge quantity of agricultural biomass has led Europe to issue directives to ensure that it is properly managed. Among the permanent European crops area, olive, orange, and apricot orchards are the most present. The management of these crops produces significant amounts of biomass, which very often is burned in the field. With a view to the circular economy, this study aims to analyze the secondary metabolites present in the biomass of these three crops.ResultsSecondary metabolites were extracted from wood and bark by an Accelerated Solvent Extractor at 120° using water, ethanol, and a mixture of water and ethanol as solvents. In addition, the identification of the molecules present in the extracts was attempted using high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled with a mass spectrometer (MS). The analysis showed that in the three crops, the highest yields of extract were measured in the bark while the species that has shown the highest yield compared to the others was the olive tree. HPLC–MS technique revealed interesting molecular compounds, such as catechins, epicatechins, and oleuropein, respectively in the apricot and olive extracts.ConclusionThe biomass extractives of these three species highlighted an interesting potential for applications in various industrial sectors such as for example, pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, and agriculture.