VARIABILITY OF ESSENTIAL OIL COMPOSITION OF ORIGANUM VULGARE L. SUBS. HIRTUM AT DIFFERENT HARVESTING STAGES

The aim of this study was to evaluate the changes in essential oil composition of Origanum vulgare L. subs. hirtum at different harvesting stages. For this purpose aerial parts of oregano were harvested in pre, full and post flowering period. The essential oil yields (v/w %) were 2.57%, 3.38% and 3.27%, respectively. Number of components in different stages varies from twenty-nine to thirty components in total, while Carvacrol, followed by Thymol, gamma-Terpinene and o-Cymene were the main components in the samples. The content of Carvacrol in the essential oil ranged from 51.18%, 37.08% and 46.08% and the highest values were registered at pre-flowering stage. Meanwhile Thymol content ranged from 16.99%, 31.27 % and 23.35% and the highest values were registered at full flowering stage. Regarding gamma-Terpinene its content ranged between 8.94, 8.49 and 6.50% and the highest values were registered at pre-flowering period. The content of o-Cymene varies from 8.00%, 6.71% and 9.00% and the highest values were registered at post flowering stage.