Abstract
SURMMARY In Italy, Chamomile is widely used for flower-head infusion but is almost totally imported. Wild populations are easily found, especially in disturbed soils and as weeds of cereal crops. Eleven chamomile populations were collected in Central Italy with the purpose of estimating the diversity and potential economic value of wild germplasm from this area. The eleven populations, together with two previously collected wild populations from North Italy, the Slovak variety Bona and an Italian selection (Syn1) were compared in a spaced-plant trial in 1999. High diversity was found for both agronomic and quality traits, and some wild populations appeared to be better than the best check (Bona) for flower head and essential oil yield. As for the essential oil composition, the populations were tentatively grouped into four previously defined chemotypes and a new one. Four wild populations appeared equal or better than Bona for α-bisabolol (43–55%) or chamazulene (16.3–22.5%) content, and can be useful for developing high oil quality varieties. A significant negative correlation was found between flower head weight and α-bisabolol content.
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