Journal Journal

of Applied
Appl Journal of Applied Horticulture, 23(1): 19-23, 2021 Horticulture
DOI: https://doi.org/10.37855/jah.2021.v23i01.04 ISSN: 0972-1045

Essential oil yield, composition and quality at different

harvesting times in three prevalent cultivars of rose-scented
geranium

Dipender Kumar1*, R.C. Padalia1, Priyanka Suryavanshi2, Amit Chauhan1, Prawal Pratap S.
Verma3, K.T. Venkatesha1, Rakesh Kumar2, Saudan Singh2 and Amit Kr. Tiwari1
1
CSIR-Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (CIMAP), Research Centre, Pantnagar, Uttarakhand-263149,
India. 2CSIR-Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (CIMAP), Lucknow-226015, Uttar Pradesh, India.
3
CSIR- Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Research Centre, Purara, Post-Gagrigole, Bageshwar- 263641
(Uttrakhand), India. *E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected]

Abstract
Geranium is an economically important aromatic plant for its highly priced essential oil. The essential oil yield and composition is
influenced by genetic, agronomical and environmental factors but at maturity, the right harvesting time during the day without affecting
the quality is not clear. Present study was undertaken to study the change in essential oil yield and composition at different harvesting
time during a day in three geranium cultivars i.e., Bourbon, Bio-G-171, and CIM-Pawan. Randomised samples from three cultivars
were harvested at crop maturity stage to obtain oil yield and composition of essential oil at different times (06 A.M., 10 A.M., 02 P.M.,
and 06 P.M.) during the day. Results indicated that essential oil yield increased significantly from 06 A.M. (0.18 %) to 06 P.M. (0.40 %)
in Bourbon only and not in Bio-G-171 and CIM-Pawan. With respect to quality of essential oils, no significant quantitative variations
in marker compounds was recorded. Citronellol/geraniol ratio is a quality criteria as per industry need and results unveiled high ratio
in Bourbon (1.85) and CIM-Pawan (1.73) in afternoon and in Bio-G-171 (1.78) during forenoon, compared with other harvesting time
during the day. The study revealed that essential oil significantly increased in cultivar Bourbon during the day but not in Bio-G-171 and
CIM-Pawan cultivars. With respect to quality, considering C/G ratio, one can go for harvesting in cultivar Bourbon and CIM-Pawan
in the afternoon and for cultivar Bio-G-171, harvesting in forenoon is advisable.
Key words: Rose-scented geranium, cultivars, diurnal, geranium oil, composition

Introduction urinary stones. Leaves are also utilized as herb drink to fight
anxiety, relief strain, to boost blood flow, and to treat inflammation
Rose scented geranium (Pelargonium graveolens L.) of genus
(Peterson et al., 2006).
Pelargonium L. Herit, belonging to family Geraniaceae, is one
of the economically important aromatic plant from which highly Plant growth and economic yield of an aromatic crop depends
prized geranium essential oil for the trade is extracted for flavour on genetic and environmental factors. Similarly, the biogenesis
and fragrance industry. Geranium oil is highly valuable for its of secondary metabolites is controlled genetically in addition
profound and strong rose like odour. Leaves of rose scented
to environmental influences of specific region, agronomical
geranium are densely pubescent and are highly aromatic in nature.
conditions, harvest time, and post-harvest processes (Yi and
The colour of geranium oil is slightly yellowish with pleasant
odour, insoluble in water and soluble in alcohol (Vijay et al., Wetzstein, 2011). Harvesting time is very important factor to
2014). Essential oil of geranium contain two types of constituents get maximum yield of quality essential oils (Carvalho-Filho et
i.e. alcohol and esters. The marker components are citronellol, al., 2006; Murray et al., 1988). Therefore, optimizing harvesting
and geraniol. Geranium essential oil is parallel to rose oil owing time is of basic importance for higher production and quality oil.
to some identical constituents (Anon, 2006). Geranium essential Moreover, proportion of citronellol over geraniol (C/G) is prime
oil is basically used in industries in particular in perfumery, crucial component in geranium oil which vary when the share of
beauty and aromatherapy industries all around the world. It is any of these two changes (Verma et al., 2010).Till date, it is not
one of the quality skin care oil as it is used for opening skin
evident that when and in what stage the harvesting should be done
pores and cleansing complexions (Miller, 2002; Peterson et al.,
in geranium for maximum essential oil yield with better quality.
2006). Other additional common uses of geranium essential oil
are in infectious disease treatment, haemorrhoids, inflammation, Therefore the present experiment was designed to optimise the
serious menorrhea and even cancer. In French medical profession, right harvesting time for higher yield of quality essential oils of
it is used in the treatment of polygenic disease, diarrhoea, vesica three prevalent geranium cultivars (Bourbon, Bio-G-171 and
issues, internal organ ulcers, jaundice, liver issues, sterility and CIM-Pawan) grown in foothills conditions of Uttarakhand, India.
Journal of Applied Horticulture (www.horticultureresearch.net)
20 Essential oil yield, composition and quality at different harvesting times in rose-scented geranium

Table 1. Diurnal variation in essential oil yield in three Geranium cultivars

Materials and methods
Harvesting Essential Oil yield (%)
Growing conditions and cultivars: Research was carried out time Bourbon Bio-G-171 CIM-Pawan
at research centre farm of CSIR-Central Institute of Medicinal 6:00 A.M. 0.18c 0.30 0.28
and Aromatic Plants, Pantnagar. Site was situated at the latitude 10:00 A.M. 0.30b 0.35 0.35
29° N and longitude 79.38° E, and at an elevation of 243 m over 2:00 P.M. 0.35ab 0.28 0.35
mean sea level. Soil is mollisol type with a pH of 7.8. Three 6:00 P.M. 0.40a 0.35 0.35
cultivars i.e. CIM-Pawan, Bio-G-171, and Bourbon were used C.D. (at 5 %) 0.06 NS NS
NS-non-significant; *means followed by the same letter are not
for experimental purpose. For experimental purpose, 90 days significantly different at P<0.05
mature crop of three targeted cultivars was harvested at different
times during the day. scented geranium (Bourbon, Bio-G-171 and CIM-Pawan) as
per harvesting time throughout the day was probed by GC and
Oil extraction: The herb part of mature geranium crop from GC-MS approach. Overall, 24 compounds detected comprising
three cultivars was harvested at different time (6:00 A.M., 10:00 91.50-93.92 % of total oil make-up. The qualitative & quantitative
A.M., 2:00 P.M., and 6:00 P.M.) during the daytime. Oil was compositions along with class composition of the essential oils in
extracted by hydro-distillation through clevenger equipment three geranium cultivars at different harvesting times are presented
for 3 hours. The oil quantity was calculated directly within the in Table 2. Isomenthone, citronellol, geraniol, citronellyl formate
extraction measuring device. Oil percentage was calculated as and 10-epi-γ-eudesmol, were the key marker compounds
volume (mL) of oil per 100 g of plant sample. Isolated oil was identified in Geranium essential oil of all three cultivars. Results
dried over anhydrous Na2SO4 in sealed bottle in cold condition. indicated varied concentration of major compounds viz., geraniol
Essential oil analysis: The essential oil was analysed using (30.13-36.21 %); (31.94-34.93 %) ; (29.96-34.75 %), citronellol
GC-FID and GC-MS techniques. Analysis of essential oil by (19.57-22.84 %); (19.57-22.30 %); (19.64-22.38 %), citronellyl
GC-FID technology on Thermo Fisher Trace GC-1300 mixed formate (7.34-8.57 %); (7.12-7.86 %); (7.39-7.72 %), 10-epi-
with TG-5 fused silica capillary column (30 m × 0.25 mm × 0.25 γ-eudesmol (6.97-8.25 %); (7.68-8.15 %); (7.64-7.83 %) and
µm) and flame ionization detector (FID). Nitrogen at flow rate isomenthone (4.77-6.47 %); (5.41-6.12 %); (5.35-6.42 %) in
of 1.0 mL min-1 was used as carrier gas. The oven temperature Bourbon, Bio-G-171, and CIM-Pawan, respectively. Based on
initially risen from 60 to 23 °C at 3 °C min-1. An injector and the analysis of chromatogram, no large variation in availability
detector temperature maintained at 250 and 280 °C, respectively. of marker compounds in geranium essential oil in all three
The injection volume was 0.02 µL neat with a split ratio of 1:40. cultivars was found. As shown in Table 2, geraniol increased at
GC-MS performed on Clarus 680 GC coupled with Clarus SQ slower rate upto 2 P.M. and then decreased in evening time in
8C mass spectrometer of PerkinElmer equipped with Elite-5 Bourbon but in Bio-G-171, 10 P.M. onwards, no large variation
fused silica capillary column (30 m × 0.25 mm × 0.25 µm). The was observed and in CIM-Pawan, geraniol yield was more in
oven column temperature program was from 60 to 240 °C at 3 morning (34.75 %) followed by afternoon time (34.00 %). In
°C min-1 with initial and final hold time of 2 min. Helium was case of citronellol, the yield was more in the morning time (22.84
employed as carrier gas at 1.0 mL min-1. And the sample was %) in Bourbon, afternoon (22.30 %) in Bio-G-171 and evening
split using a ratio of 1:30. The injector and detector temperatures (22.38 %) in CIM-Pawan. Citronellyl formate was more in the
were held at 250 °C. Different compounds were ionised using an morning time in Bourbon (8.57 %) and CIM-Pawan (7.72 %) and
ionisation potential of 70 eV. Mostly compounds were identified then decreased during the day time (Table 2). Concentration of
by comparing their mass spectra (MS) data with literature data 10-epi-γ-eudesmol was found more in evening hours (8.25 %)
(Adams, 2007). (8.15 %) (7.83 %) in all three geranium cultivars compared with
morning (6.97, 7.87, 7.64 %), and afternoon (7.61, 7.74, 7.80 %).
Statistical analysis: The statistical analysis was done by one-way
Isomenthone was more in morning in Bourbon, before noon in
ANOVA followed by Tukey’s multiple comparison test using
Bio-G-171 and in the evening in CIM-Pawan cultivar. Linalool
Graphpad Prism statistical software at 0.05 % probability.
was found more in afternoon (2.57 %) and evening time (2.38
%) in Bourbon and CIM-Pawan, respectively and before noon
Results (2.86 %) in Bio-G-171 (Table 2).
Essential oil yield (%): Data for yield of essential oil in three
C/G ratio at different harvesting times: Citronellol, geraniol
prevalent cultivars as per experimental design is presented in
and their esters are the quality determinants in geranium essential
Table 1. The oil yield ranged from 0.28-0.35 % in cultivars CIM-
oil. Different C/G ratio was found in geranium oil of Bourbon,
Pawan and Bio-G-171 and showed no significant variation as
Bio-G-171, and CIM-Pawan cultivars at different harvesting time
per the timing of the harvest. However, in Bourbon cultivar, oil
(Table 3). In cultivar Bourbon, C/G ratio was higher in afternoon
yield varied from 0.18-0.40 %, and showed significant variation
(1.85) followed by evening (1.77) compared with morning (1.32)
at different harvesting timings throughout the day. Maximum
and forenoon (1.52). On the other hand, in cultivar Bio-G-171,
yield of essential oil in cultivar Bourbon was found in evening
the citronellol and geraniol ratio ranged from 1.53 to 1.78, the
harvested sample (0.40 %) followed by 2 P.M. (0.35 %), 10 A.M.
highest C/G ratio was found in forenoon (1.78) followed by
(0.30 %) with minimum at 6 A.M. (0.18 %). Results showed, as
evening (1.69) as compared with morning (1.58) and afternoon
the day proceeded, the essential oil yield (%) in Bourbon cultivar
(1.53). Similarly, in cultivar CIM-Pawan, C/G ratio varied from
increased by 55 % compared with morning time.
1.37 to 1.73, with highest C/G ratio recorded in afternoon (1.73)
Essential oil composition at different harvesting time: followed by morning (1.60) compared with forenoon (1.37) and
Composition of essential oil of three prevalent cultivars of rose- evening (1.51) during the day.
Journal of Applied Horticulture (www.horticultureresearch.net)
 Essential oil yield, composition and quality at different harvesting times in rose-scented geranium 21

Table 2. Essential oil composition under different harvesting times in three geranium cultivars
S.No. Compounds Bourbon Bio-G-171 CIM-Pawan
6:00 10:00 2:00 6:00 6:00 10:00 2:00 6:00 6:00 10:00 2:00 6:00
A.M. A.M. P.M. P.M. A.M. A.M. P.M. P.M. A.M. A.M. P.M. P.M.
1 α-Pinene 0.17 0.12 0.17 0.18 0.17 0.10 0.06 nd 0.33 0.30 0.17 0.27
2 Limonene 0.10 0.09 0.18 0.13 nd 0.11 0.07 0.06 0.16 0.16 0.13 0.14
3 Linalool 2.34 1.97 2.57 2.31 2.55 2.86 2.80 2.17 2.11 2.30 1.69 2.38
4 cis-Rose-oxide 0.23 0.19 0.20 0.19 0.23 0.18 0.21 0.20 0.20 0.29 0.19 0.26
5 trans-Rose-oxide 0.14 0.08 0.27 nd 0.11 0.08 0.10 0.09 0.09 0.16 0.09 0.15
6 Isomenthone 6.47 5.22 4.77 5.32 5.99 6.12 5.42 5.41 5.56 5.77 5.35 6.42
7 α-Terpineol nd 0.09 0.12 0.14 0.10 0.14 0.13 0.10 0.09 0.10 0.09 0.11
8 Citronellol 22.84 22.54 19.57 19.80 20.23 19.57 22.30 20.62 21.67 21.92 19.64 22.38
9 Neral 0.89 0.75 0.79 0.78 0.82 0.78 0.81 0.76 0.69 0.75 0.81 0.82
10 Geraniol 30.13 34.16 36.21 34.95 31.94 34.76 34.13 34.93 34.75 29.96 34.00 33.79
11 Citronellyl formate 8.57 7.34 7.39 7.77 7.79 7.13 7.86 7.12 7.72 7.65 7.43 7.39
12 Geranyl formate 4.80 4.12 4.04 3.94 4.63 3.95 3.80 4.33 4.37 4.06 4.71 3.88
13 Citronellyl acetate 0.18 0.18 0.17 0.18 0.05 ND 0.05 0.05 0.17 0.19 0.20 0.16
14 Geranyl acetate 0.77 0.64 0.58 0.63 0.78 0.43 0.64 0.66 0.60 0.76 0.73 0.56
15 β-Caryophyllene 0.56 0.52 0.55 0.61 0.76 0.51 0.45 0.51 0.58 0.76 0.67 0.42
16 Citronellyl propionate nd nd nd 0.09 0.15 0.18 0.14 0.10 0.07 0.17 0.19 0.10
17 Germacrene-D 0.58 0.80 0.84 0.93 0.74 0.93 0.34 0.71 0.65 1.07 1.01 0.66
18 cis-β-Guaiene 0.69 0.70 0.74 0.78 0.87 0.69 0.41 0.80 0.74 1.05 0.94 0.52
19 Geranyl butyrate 0.69 0.31 0.50 0.42 0.28 0.26 0.29 0.26 0.27 0.53 0.66 0.49
20 2-Phenyl-ethyl tiglate 1.12 1.22 1.14 1.24 1.33 1.17 1.25 0.27 1.24 1.06 1.21 1.14
21 10-epi-γ-Eudesmol 6.97 7.84 7.61 8.25 7.87 7.68 7.74 8.15 7.64 7.77 7.80 7.83
22 Geranyl valerate 1.75 1.66 1.71 1.72 1.81 1.71 0.65 1.72 1.53 1.79 1.67 1.60
23 Citronellyl tiglate 0.33 0.31 0.32 0.34 0.31 0.35 0.30 0.30 0.28 0.36 0.35 0.28
24 Geranyl tiglate 2.53 2.69 2.51 2.64 2.68 2.47 2.88 2.56 2.41 2.57 2.58 2.07
Class composition
Monoterpene hydrocarbons 0.27 0.21 0.35 0.31 0.17 0.21 0.13 0.06 0.49 0.46 0.3 0.41
Oxygenated monoterpenes 83.78 83.47 82.86 82.46 81.78 82.14 83.76 81.65 83.82 80.39 81.59 83.98
Sesquiterpine hydrocarbons 1.83 2.02 2.13 2.32 2.37 2.13 1.2 2.02 1.97 2.88 2.62 1.6
Oxygenated sesquiterpenes 6.97 7.84 7.61 8.25 7.87 7.68 7.74 8.15 7.64 7.77 7.8 7.83
Total identified (%) 92.85 93.54 92.95 93.34 92.19 92.16 92.83 91.88 93.92 91.50 92.31 93.82
nd-not detected
Table 3. C/G ratio in essential oil influenced by harvesting time in three geranium cultivars
Bourbon Bio-G-171 CIM-Pawan
6:00 A.M. 10:00 A.M. 2:00 P.M. 6:00 P.M. 6:00 A.M. 10:00 A.M. 2:00 P.M. 6:00 P.M. 6:00 A.M. 10:00 A.M. 2:00 P.M. 6:00 P.M.
1.32 1.52 1.85 1.77 1.58 1.78 1.53 1.69 1.60 1.37 1.73 1.51

Discussion This point suggests the existence of diurnal variability (Arabaci

et al., 2015). In Cistus monspeliensis L., essential oil yield was
Essential oil yield in three prevalent geranium cultivars was more at 6 P.M. and essential oil yield varied during the day
influenced by harvesting time. Oil yield variation due to harvest (Angelopoulon et al., 2002). Malatova et al. (2011) reported that
time have been observed and reported by many researchers in change in air temperature caused diurnal changes in essential oil
several other aromatic crops (Schwob et al., 2004; Masada et al., yield recovery. Kaya et al. (2015) confirmed that throughout the
2007; Argyropoulou et al., 2007; Ebrahimi et al., 2008; Callan day, essential oil yield remarkably varied. According to Melo et
et al., 2007). Ceylan (1995) reported that essential oil yield vary al. (2011) essential oil yield is a function of temperature, light
during the daytime. Essential oil yield normally increased from
intensity and relative humidity throughout the day. Differences
morning to afternoon and then decreased towards evening in
in essential oil yield due to different harvesting time were earlier
the essential oil bearing plants. In our study, it varied only in
also reported in several plants (Oliveira et al., 2012; Melo et al.,
Bourbon cultivar from 0.10 percent to 0.40 %. Plants are under the
2011; Silva et al., 2016).
influence of many environmental conditions throughout the day,
therefore harvest timing might cause variations in essential oil. For quality oil purpose, essential oil composition showed slight
Journal of Applied Horticulture (www.horticultureresearch.net)
22 Essential oil yield, composition and quality at different harvesting times in rose-scented geranium

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