Influence of growing location and variety on the essential oil content of Melissa officinalis L. and Thymus vulgaris L.

Abstract

Five lemon balm and four thyme varieties were grown at two locations in open field plots. A significant, however opposite effect of the habitat was detected on the essential oil content of both species. The accumulation of essential oil of lemon balm was superior in Budapest compared to Poznan (means of 0.185 0nd 0.105%, respectively). In thyme, higher contents were produced in Poznan than in Budapest (means of 3.542 and 2.782%, respecitively). The size of the response was not uniform among cultivars. More than three-fold increase was measured in Melissa officinalis ’Lorelei’ and ’Soroksári’. In case of Thymus vulgaris, essential oil content of ’Varico 3’, showed largest difference (45%) between the two locations