Research Information System
XV International Agriculture Symposium "AGROSYM 2024", Sarajevo, Bosnia And Herzegovina, 10 - 13 November 2024, pp.787-792
Timing of essential oil bearing plant harvest is a key
determinant in achieving higher essential oil content and quality in the
essential oil production. Thyme (Thymus vulgaris L.), an herbaceous
perennial plant from the Lamiaceae family, is widely cultivated for its
essential oil. Thyme essential oil have
attracted much attention, due to its usage in medicine, pharmacy,
perfumery-cosmetic and food industries. The aim of this study was to determine
the effects of harvest time on essential oil content and composition of
organically grown thyme under continental type of climate. The study was
carried out in 2021 growing season to determine the effects of harvesting hours
on essential oil content and composition of thyme using a completely randomized
design with four replications. Thyme was harvested at a two-hour intervals
starting at 6:00 and ending at 18:00. Essential oils of freshly harvested and
dried plants were extracted by hydro-distillation for three hours and essential
oils were analyzed by gas chromatography to determine the composition and
quality of the essential oil. Essential oil content of thyme slightly varied
among the harvest time of the day. The highest essential oil yield was obtained
from early morning harvest hours. More than 27 essential oil components were
found in the essential oil of each harvest hour. Thymol, γ-terpinen, p-cymene
and carvacrol were the main essential oil components of all harvest hours. The
major essential oil components did not significantly fluctuate among the harvesting
hours. The results of this study showed that the best harvesting hours of thyme
for higher essential oil yield were between 6:00 and 10:00 AM in the morning.