Essential oil composition of four major cultivars of black pepper (Piper nigrum L.) - IV

Four major cultivars of black pepper from Kerala viz. Aimpiriyan, Narayakodi Neelamundi and Uthirankotta were analyzed for a period of three consecutive seasons for their oil composition. Fifty-five compounds were identified in the oils by GC and GC/MS. The main components of Aimpiriyan oil were limonene (19.8%-22.5%), beta-pinene (9.3-23.9%), limonene (8.3-18%) and beta-caryophyllene (20.3-34.7%). Narayakodi oil contained as major compounds sabinene (4.4-24.6%) limonene (9.5-19.5%), beta-pinene (4.8-15.6%), beta-caryophyllene (29.8-52.9%) and caryophyllene oxide (2.3-3.9%). Neelamundi oil contained alpha-pinene (4.7-6.5%), sabinene (23.2-27.3%), beta-pinene (7.8-11.3%), limonene (12.9-18.6%) and beta-caryophyllene (17.0-31.0%). The oil from Uthirankotta contained alpha-pinene (9.1-14.6%), beta-pinene (9.3-12.5%), delta-3-carene (6.7-8.5%), limonene (13.3-19.5%), beta-caryophyllene (25.1-37.8%) and caryophyllene oxide (0.6-2.7 %).