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Essential Oil Variability in Natural Populations of Picea omorika , a Rare European Conifer
Author(s) -
Nikolić Biljana,
Tešević Vele,
Ðorđević Iris,
Marin Petar D.,
Bojović Srdjan
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
chemistry and biodiversity
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.427
H-Index - 70
eISSN - 1612-1880
pISSN - 1612-1872
DOI - 10.1002/cbdv.200800085
Subject(s) - chemistry , natural (archaeology) , botany , geography , biology , archaeology
This study is the first report on the composition and variability of essential oil in the relic, endemic, and vulnerable tree species Serbian spruce, Picea omorika , in its natural populations. In the needles of 108 trees of four natural populations, 49 components of essential oils were identified. The main compounds were bornyl acetate (29.2%), camphene (18.7%), and α ‐pinene (12.9%). Fourteen additional components had the contents of up to 0.5%: α ‐cadinol (6.1%), limonene (5.8%), santene (3.5%), ( E ) ‐ hex‐2‐enal (2.9%), T‐cadinol (2.9%), δ ‐cadinene (2.3%), tricyclene (2.1%), myrcene (1.6%), β ‐pinene (1.2%), borneol (0.9%), germacrene D (0.9%), α ‐muurolene (0.6%), and two unidentified compounds. Population IV from Mileševka Canyon had a much higher content of bornyl acetate (42.9%). Populations I–III from Mt. Tara were more abundant in sesquiterpenes (up to 18.2%). The content of bornyl acetate, the multi‐variation analyses according to seven selected components, especially the cluster analysis and genetic analysis of α ‐cadinol, which suggested the monogenic type of heredity, showed a clear differentiation of the two geographic areas, the similarity of populations I–III from the area of Mt. Tara, and the separation of the population IV from Mileševka Canyon.