VARIABILITY OF COMPONENT COMPOSITION OF MELISSA OFFICINALIS L. ESSENTIAL OIL DEPENDING ON THE CLIMATIC CONDITIONS OF THE REGION OF CULTIVATION

The aim of the research was to detect the dependence of content and component composition of Melissa officinalis L. essential oil from climatic peculiarities of the region of cultivation and to specify the optimum conditions for growing high-quality raw materials. We presented the results of the comparative assessment of essential oil component composition (three main elements) obtained from air-dried raw materials of two cultivars Krymchanka and Lada. These Melissa officinalis L. cultivars were grown in three regions that sharply differed in weather conditions. To make the comparison accurate, we determined the component composition of essential oil in the Laboratory of Biochemistry at FSBSI “Research Institute of Agriculture of Crimea” using gas chromatograph Kristall 5000.2. The most favorable climatic conditions for essential oil accumulation were in the Foothill zone of the Crimea (moderate rainfalls combined with high air temperatures). Cultivar Krymchanka exceeded cultivar Lada by the amount of essential oil in raw materials. Excess sometimes reached 170%. Dependence of the main components such as citral, β-caryophyllene, caryophyllene oxide, germacrene D from the ratio of temperature and precipitation was revealed. After obtaining research results, we could suggest that by controlling the conditions of cultivation of M. officinalis, it is possible to adjust the ratio of the components of essential oil.