Inmune

Turk J Agric For 26 (2002) 217-224 © TÜB‹TAK

Yield Characteristics and Essential Oil Composition of Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis L.) Grown in the Aegean Region of Turkey
Ali Osman SARI
Aegean Agricultural Research, Institute P. O. Box 9 35661, Menemen, ‹zmir - TURKEY

Ayhan CEYLAN
Ege University, Faculty of Agriculture, Bornova, ‹zmir - TURKEY

Received: 15.10.2001

Abstract:Eleven lemon balm (Melissa officinalis L.) populations originating from different sources in Turkey and European countries were investigated in two ecologically different locations, Menemen and Bozda¤, in the Aegean region of Turkey over three years to determine the populations having high quality and yield. There were significant variations between locations, years and populations in terms of yieldand quality characters. The ecology was highly suitable in Menemen for growing lemon balm successfully and almost all yield and quality characters in Menemen were significantly higher than those in Bozda¤. The plant height, green herb yield, drug leaves yield and essential oil rate over populations and years were 47.58 cm, 2869 kg.ha-1, 496.9 kg.ha-1 and 0.067% respectively in Menemen while theywere 20.73 cm, 416 kg.ha-1, 90.0 kg.ha-1 and 0.036% respectively in Bozda¤. The growth of populations in this study increased after the first year of the trials in both locations; therefore all yields were significantly higher in the second and third years of the trials compared to the first year. The populations numbered 9 and 7, originating from Germany and Romania, had high yield and quality andthey were the two most promising populations for lemon balm cultivation in the locations studied. The green herb yield, drug leaves yield and essential oil rate of population 9 over three years at Menemen were 3389 kg.ha-1, 593.1 -1 -1 -1 kg.ha and 0.085% respectively while they were 2888 kg.ha , 565.1 kg.ha and 0.097% respectively for population 7. The main component of the essential oil of thelemon balm was geranial in both locations and the average geranial rate was 38.13% in Menemen and 53.68% in Bozda¤. Hence, Menemen ecologic conditions were suitable for growing lemon balm with high yield and quality. Populations originating from Romania and Ege University Agricultural Faculty (Germany) are recommended to growers. Key Words: Melissa officinalis, balm, essential oil, green herb, driedleaves, geranial.

Ege Bölgesi’nde Yetifltirilen O¤ulotunun Verim Özellikleri ve Uçucu Ya¤›n›n Bileflimi
Özet: Yüksek verim ve kalite özelliklerine sahip, tar›ma uygun o¤ulotu (Melissa officinalis L.) populasyonlar›n› belirlemek amac› ile yurt içi ve yurt d›fl› de¤iflik kaynaklardan olmak üzere 11 o¤ulotu populasyonu Ege Bölgesinde birbirinden farkl› ekolojik özelliklere sahip Menemen ve Bozda¤lokasyonlar›nda üç y›l süre ile adaptasyon denemesine al›nd›. ‹ncelenen verim ve kalite kriterleri aç›s›ndan lokasyonlar, y›llar ve populasyonlar aras›nda önemli varyasyonlar tespit edilmifltir. Menemen ekolojisinin o¤ulotu yetifltiricili¤i aç›s›ndan oldukça uygun oldu¤u saptanm›fl ve bütün verim ve kalite kriterleri Menemen'de Bozda¤'dakilerden daha yüksek bulunmufltur. Bitki boyu, yeflil herba verimi,drog yaprak verimi ve uçucu ya¤ oran› populasyonlar ve y›llar üzerinden ortalama de¤er olarak Menemen'de s›ras› ile 47,58 cm, 2869 kg.ha-1, 496,9 kg.ha-1 ve% 0,067 olurken, Bozda¤'da s›ras› ile 20,73 cm, 416 kg.ha1 , 90,0 kg.ha-1 ve % 0,036 olmufltur. Denemenin birinci y›l›ndan sonra bitki geliflmesi dolay›s› ile incelenen tüm verim kriterlerinde birinci y›l verilerine göre önemli derecede art›flgörülmüfltür. Bu araflt›rmada 9 ve 7 numaralar› verilen s›ras› ile Almanya ve Romanya orijinli iki populasyon tüm verim ve kalite kriterleri aç›s›ndan her iki lokasyonda da denemeye al›nan di¤er populasyonlardan daha üstün performans göstermifller ve baflar›l› bir flekilde tar›m› yap›labilecek ümitvar populasyonlar olarak saptanm›fllard›r. Populasyondan 9’un Menemen'de y›llar üzerinden yeflil herba...