Variations in essential oil and fatty acid composition during Myrtus communis var. italica fruit maturation |
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Authors: | Wissem Aidi Wannes Baya MhamdiBrahim Marzouk |
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Affiliation: | Aromatic and Medicinal Plants Unit, Center of Biotechnology of the Technopol Borj-Cedria, BP. 901, 2050 Hammam-Lif, Tunisia |
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Abstract: | The essential oil and fatty acid composition of Myrtus communis var. italica fruit during its ripening was determined. The effect of the harvesting time on some physical properties of Myrtus fruits, fruit weight and moisture content, were significant. The increase of fruit weight (from 2.54 to 8.79 g% fruits) during ripeness was correlated positively with that of moisture content (from 28% to 72%). Fruit essential oil yields varied from 0.003% to 0.01% and showed a remarkable increase at 60 days after flowering to reach a maximum of 0.11%. Forty-seven volatile compounds were identified in fruit essential oils; 1,8-cineole (7.31–40.99%), geranyl acetate (1.83–20.54%), linalool (0.74–18.92%) and α-pinene (1.24–12.64%) were the main monoterpene compounds. Total fatty acid contents varied from 0.81% to 3.10% during fruit maturation and the predominant fatty acids were linoleic (12.21–71.34%), palmitic (13.58–37.07%) and oleic (6.49–21.89%) acids. The linoleic acid proportions correlated inversely with palmitic and oleic acids during all the stages of ripening. |
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Keywords: | Myrtus communis var. italica Myrtaceae Fruit Essential oil Fatty acids Maturation |
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