Effect of chopping on yield, physico-chemical properties, and chemical composition of Clove (Syzygium aromaticum L.) leaf essential from three varieties

Clove oil is one of the highest potential essential oil to be developed and traded in Indonesia. Several factors that can affect the yield and quality of the clove oils such as material pretreatment and plant variety. The purpose of this study was to assess the yield and quality of clove leaf oil between three plant varieties (var. A, var. B and var. C) without leaf chopping and with leaf chopping (chopped with a size of diameter ± 0.5-1cm). Chemical compositions of the oil were analyzed using GC-MS and the physico-chemical properties and measured based on SNI 06-2387-2006. The results showed var. C with chopping treatment produced the highest yield (2,67%). GC-MS analysis showed that the main compound of clove oil was eugenol (66.10 - 72.29%), which the highest content obtained at whole leaves var. A. Varieties of clove plants and leaves chopping have effects on yield, amount and percent of chemical compounds, but no significant effect on physicochemical properties. Var. A has best clove leaf oil quality, whereas var. C with chopped treatment produced the highest yield.