Populations of A. annua cultivar 'Jeevanraksha' and accession Suraksha were grown in the experimental field plot of the Institute at New Delhi. The seeds were sown in January 2004, seedlings transplanted in late February 2004 and aerial parts (flowers, leaves and stems from the upper 0.5 m of crop canopy) sampled in late October 2004.

Ninety-seven compounds comprising 91.3% of the total oil of 'Jeevanraksha' were identified. Forty-three monoterpenes (56.6%), 32 sesquiterpenes (31.1%), and 2 diterpenes (0.2%) comprised bulk of the oil (87.9%). The oil was devoid of artemisia ketone and contained camphor (13.5%), 1,8-cineole (9.4%), trans-sabinol (7.1%), p-mentha-1(7), 5-dien-2-ol (6.3%), myrcene (4.7%), germacrene D (4.4%), (E)-beta-farnesene (3.9%), beta-caryophyllene (3.7%), dihydroartemisinic lactone (3.0%) and p-cymene (2.0%) as the major constituents. Eighty-six compounds representing 93.3% of the composition were identified in the Suraksha oil. This oil contained artemisia ketone (47%), 1,8-cineole (8.4%), camphor (5.9%) and alpha-pinene (5.2%) as the major components.

Plant material: Samples of L. latifolia were collected in August 1998 during the full flowering period (L/La) and in October 1998 during the fruiting period (L/Lb) from three different spike lavender populations located into the Cazorla, Segura y Las Villas Natural Park (Jaen province, Spain). The plant material from each population consisted of the twigs of several single plants. L/La (Location: 'Garganta de Hornos', Altitude (m): 950, Harvesting date: August 14, 1998, Phenological stage: Flowering); L/Lb (Location: 'Garganta de Hornos', Altitude (m): 950, Harvesting date: October 15, 1998, Phenological stage: Fruiting).

The small amounts of linalool needed to match the standard can be reached in a natural way (from full flowering to fruiting) which means it is important to choose the most convenient time of harvest in the studied area.

Field experiment was initiated in June 2000 in the same block of the research farm. The experiment was laid out in a randomized block design with five treatments on stage of crop harvest (pre-flowering and 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% flowering) and four replications, individual plots being 3 × 6 m. Each plot received uniform dose of neem cake 900 g (0.5 t/ha), di-ammonium phosphate 155 g (40 Kg P₂O₅ /ha) and muriate of potash 120 g (40 kg K₂O/ha) as basal dose which was incorporated with 5 cm top soil using hand hoe. Ocimum gratissimum seedlings, six weeks old, were planted at 60 cm row-to-row and 45 cm plant-to-plant spacing in June 2000. The field was irrigated immediately after planting for early establishment of the seedlings. Thereafter, the field was irrigated 11 and 13 times in the first and second year of experimentation, respectively. Nitrogen at 120 kg/ha was applied in the form of urea spreading over all the harvests per annum. The crop received fi ve and four hand weedings during first and second year of experimentation. Apical part (25-35 cm) of all the branches was harvested in all the treatments as given below: (Pre-flowering Year1 September 20 and November 12, 2000 and January 16, March 17 and May 16, 2001; Year2 July 20, September 13 and November 17, 2001 and January 27, April 7 and June 16, 2002); (25% flowering Year1 September 26 and November 25, 2000 and February 3, April 9 and June 13, 2001; Year2 August 17, October 16 and December 26, 2001 and March 11 and May 25, 2002); (50% flowering Year1 September 30 and December 4, 2000 and February 17, April 28 and July 7, 2001; Year2 September 10 and November 14, 2001 and January 24, April 9 and June 23, 2002); (75% flowering Year1 October 7 and December 16, 2000 and March 6 and May 20, 2001; Year2 August 3, October 12 and December 21, 2001 and March 6 and May 25, 2002); (100% flowering Year1 October 15 and December 29, 2000 and March 24 and June 12, 2001; Year2 August 31 and November 14, 2001 and January 28, April 18 and July 7, 2002).

Harvesting at pre-flowering produced 12.5%, 24.1%, 35.5% and 50.0% higher biomass yield compared to harvesting at 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% flowering, respectively, in the first year of cropping. The respective increase was 16.8%, 22.0%, 38.2% and 63.2% in the second year. Late harvested crop (100% flowering) contained the highest amount of essential oil and it decreased in the order of harvesting at 100% flowering > 75% flowering > 50% flowering > 25% flowering > pre-flowering treatment. The total oil yield was, however, significantly higher (15.8-19.9% and 12.7-33.6% in first and second years, respectively) with pre-flowering compared to all other harvest treatments. Pre-flowering harvested crop produced oil containing the highest amount of eugenol and it decreased in the order of harvesting at pre-flowering > 25% flowering > 50% flowering > 75% flowering > 100% flowering treatment.

Five different populations of P. spicatus were collected in different geographical regions of the northeast of Brazil. Populations I: (Locality: Morro do Chapeu,Bahia, harvesting: 02.19.94); Populations II: (Locality: Maranguape,Ceara, harvesting: 06.01.97); Populations III: (Locality: Jacobina,Bahia, harvesting: 02.19.94); Populations IV: (Locality: Cocalzinho,Ceara, harvesting: 02.22.94); Populations V: (Locality: Sitio dos Moreiras,Pernambuco, harvesting: 02.22.94)

The aliphatic ketones 2-undecanone, 2-tridecanone and 2-pentadecanone were present in samples of all populations. 2-Tridecanone (1.7-84.7 %) was detected in 30 out of 34 samples analyzed. It was the main component in all samples of root barks, except one where 2-pentadecanone (24.7%) was the major component. 2-Undecanone, beta-eudesmol and sabinene were the major components of leaf oils.

The branches of pine were collected in July, 1996 in 15 different locations in Lithuania in the following regions: Western part (Silute, Jurbarkas, Kursiu Nerija), Eastern part (Salcininkai, Zarasai, Moletai), Southern part (Varena, Trakai, Radviliskis) and central part (Ukmerge, Jonava, Kaisiadorys). The branches in each location were collected from the trees in approximately 1 km radius.

More than 70 constituents were identified (64 positively and 10 tentatively) in the oils. alpha-Pinene (18.5-33.0%) and delta-3-carene (9.1-24.6%) were dominating constituents with the only one exception when the germacrene-4-ol content in one of the samples was 13.2%. The important bornyl acetate content varied from 0.5% to 3.0%. The main sesquiterpenes were beta-caryophyllene, germacrene D, bicyclogermacrene, delta-cadinene, gamma-cadinene, germacrene D-4-ol, cubenol (2.0-5.1%) and alpha-cadinol (1.9-7.7%).

The leaves of R. eriocalyx were harvested at random from two localities of the forest in the North and South ranges of Boutaleb in Algeria at different altitudes during the full flowering stage. Sample N3(Locality: Northern slope; Altitude (m): 850; Collection date: Mar 20,1993); Sample S3(Locality: Southern slope; Altitude (m): 850; Collection date: Mar 20,1993).

Concerning the alcohols, the highest amount of 1,8-cineole (11.4%) coincided with a very low amount of terpinen-4-ol(1.0%) in sample N3 as well as with a generally low concentration of hydrocarbons (apart from camphene and pinene) in all samples of R. eriocalyx.

S. aucheri var. aucheri was collected in Karaman: Ermenek to Mutt Road on July 19,1995; Salvia aucheri var. canescens was collected in Karaman: Ermenek, Tekecati Valley on July 19,1995.

Eighty components were characterized in the Salvia aucheri var. aucheri oil, with camphor (21.1%), 1, 8-cineole (20.3%), borneol (7.8%), spathulenol (6.3%) and camphene (5.3%) as major constituents. 1, 8-Cineole (25.2%), camphor (17.9%), borneol (10.6%), alpha-pinene (5.4%) and camphene (5.3%) were identified as major constituents among the 88 components characterized in the oil of Salvia aucheri var. canescens.

Fresh plant materials were obtained in 2004 and 2005. S. thymbra 1(vegetative stage: just before flowering, date: June 7, 2004, location: Mt. Immitos, altitude(m): 350); S. thymbra 2(vegetative stage: full flowering, date: July 7, 2004, location: Mt. Immitos, altitude(m): 350); S. thymbra 3(vegetative stage: after flowering, date: Aug 7, 2004, location: Mt. Immitos, altitude(m): 350); S. thymbra 4(vegetative stage: fruiting, date: Sept 7, 2004, location: Mt. Immitos, altitude(m): 350); S. thymbra 5(vegetative stage: fruiting, date: Nov 7, 2004, location: Mt. Immitos, altitude(m): 350); S. thymbra 6(vegetative stage: fruiting, date: Feb 7, 2005, location: Mt. Immitos, altitude(m): 350); S. thymbra 7(vegetative stage: before flowering, date: May 7, 2005, location: Mt. Immitos, altitude(m): 350); S. parnassica 8(vegetative stage: before flowering, date: June 16, 2004, location: Mt. Parnon, altitude(m): 1800); S. parnassica 9(vegetative stage: just before flowering, date: July 16, 2004, location: Mt. Parnon, altitude(m): 1800); S. parnassica 10(vegetative stage: full flowering, date: Aug 16, 2004, location: Mt. Parnon, altitude(m): 1800); S. parnassica 11(vegetative stage: after flowering, date: Sept 16, 2004, location: Mt. Parnon, altitude(m): 1800).

It is evident that the phytochemical content of the essential oils for both Satureja species varied greatly, depending on the period examined, and showed large prevalence of phenolic content. It must also be pointed out that regardless of the vegetative stage of the plant collected, the sum of the two isomeric phenol monoterpenes (carvacrol and thymol) and their biosynthetic monoterpene precursors p-cymene and gamma-terpinene represented always the bulk of each essential oil (~76%). More specificallysfor both species-during their premature vegetative stage, gamma-terpinene constitutes the major component of their essential oils. The approach of the flowering period results in the simultaneous gradual diminishment of monoterpene precursors and the prevalence of their phenolic metabolites. Thus, essential oils obtained from plants collected during the 'just before their flowering' stage contain thymol as their major component, which constitutes 27.88 and 38.51% of the total oil content for S. thymbra and S. parnassica, respectively. On the other hand, during their full flowering period carvacrol prevails as the major component, accounting for 39.10% for S. thymbra and for 34.61% for S. parnassica. The end of the flowering stage delineates a sharp decrease of carvacrol levels and the predominance of thymol as the major component of the essential oils. A few months later, as the premature vegetative stage approached, the level of gamma-terpinene was restored. The content of p-cymenesthe other major monoterpene precursor-fluctuated seasonally in a manner similar to that shown by gamma-terpinene. Other monoterpene hydrocarbons such as myrcene and alpha-terpinene were also detected in smaller quantities, whereas various monoterpene alcohols such as linalool, borneol, and terpin-4-ol were found mainly in the oils obtained after the flowering stage. Finally, it is notable that the oils obtained during the just before the full flowering period contain beta-caryophyllene as one of their major components.

Fresh plant materials were obtained in 2004 and 2005. S. thymbra 1(vegetative stage: just before flowering, date: June 7, 2004, location: Mt. Immitos, altitude(m): 350); S. thymbra 2(vegetative stage: full flowering, date: July 7, 2004, location: Mt. Immitos, altitude(m): 350); S. thymbra 3(vegetative stage: after flowering, date: Aug 7, 2004, location: Mt. Immitos, altitude(m): 350); S. thymbra 4(vegetative stage: fruiting, date: Sept 7, 2004, location: Mt. Immitos, altitude(m): 350); S. thymbra 5(vegetative stage: fruiting, date: Nov 7, 2004, location: Mt. Immitos, altitude(m): 350); S. thymbra 6(vegetative stage: fruiting, date: Feb 7, 2005, location: Mt. Immitos, altitude(m): 350); S. thymbra 7(vegetative stage: before flowering, date: May 7, 2005, location: Mt. Immitos, altitude(m): 350); S. parnassica 8(vegetative stage: before flowering, date: June 16, 2004, location: Mt. Parnon, altitude(m): 1800); S. parnassica 9(vegetative stage: just before flowering, date: July 16, 2004, location: Mt. Parnon, altitude(m): 1800); S. parnassica 10(vegetative stage: full flowering, date: Aug 16, 2004, location: Mt. Parnon, altitude(m): 1800); S. parnassica 11(vegetative stage: after flowering, date: Sept 16, 2004, location: Mt. Parnon, altitude(m): 1800).

It is evident that the phytochemical content of the essential oils for both Satureja species varied greatly, depending on the period examined, and showed large prevalence of phenolic content. It must also be pointed out that regardless of the vegetative stage of the plant collected, the sum of the two isomeric phenol monoterpenes (carvacrol and thymol) and their biosynthetic monoterpene precursors p-cymene and gamma-terpinene represented always the bulk of each essential oil (~76%). More specificallysfor both species-during their premature vegetative stage, gamma-terpinene constitutes the major component of their essential oils. The approach of the flowering period results in the simultaneous gradual diminishment of monoterpene precursors and the prevalence of their phenolic metabolites. Thus, essential oils obtained from plants collected during the 'just before their flowering' stage contain thymol as their major component, which constitutes 27.88 and 38.51% of the total oil content for S. thymbra and S. parnassica, respectively. On the other hand, during their full flowering period carvacrol prevails as the major component, accounting for 39.10% for S. thymbra and for 34.61% for S. parnassica. The end of the flowering stage delineates a sharp decrease of carvacrol levels and the predominance of thymol as the major component of the essential oils. A few months later, as the premature vegetative stage approached, the level of gamma-terpinene was restored. The content of p-cymenesthe other major monoterpene precursor-fluctuated seasonally in a manner similar to that shown by gamma-terpinene. Other monoterpene hydrocarbons such as myrcene and alpha-terpinene were also detected in smaller quantities, whereas various monoterpene alcohols such as linalool, borneol, and terpin-4-ol were found mainly in the oils obtained after the flowering stage. Finally, it is notable that the oils obtained during the just before the full flowering period contain beta-caryophyllene as one of their major components.

The aerial parts (~35 cm) of each taxa growing wild in eight localities of Almeria province were collected in May 1996. All samples were collected at full flowering. Sideritis pusilla (Lange) Pau ssp. pusilla var. typica, Population/location (UTM): Los Matarines (30SWF7992); Sideritis pusilla ssp. pusilla var. carthaginensis Font Quer, Population/location (UTM): Rambla del Hacho (30SWF7178); Sideritis pusilla ssp. pusilla var. granatensis (Pau) Font Quer, Population/location (UTM): Gafarillos (30SWG8702); Sideritis pusilla ssp. almeriensis (Pau) Malagarriga var. typica, Population/location (UTM): Sierra de Gador, Cerro de los Lobos (30SWF3575); Sideritis pusilla ssp. almeriensis var. littoralis Font Quer, Population/location (UTM): Los Morales (30SWF6775); Sideritis pusilla ssp. almeriensis var. salina Font Quer, Population/location (UTM): Los Pedregales (30SWG7835); Sideritis pusilla ssp. flavovirens (Rouy) Malagarriga, Population/location (UTM): Velez Rubio, Cerro del Huezno (30SWG8965); Sideritis pusilla ssp. osteoxylla (Pau) Pallares, Population/location (UTM): Cabo de Gata, Cerro de S. Miguel (30SWF7165)

Monoterpene hydrocarbons, alcohols, sesquiterpenes and diterpenes were the main constituents in all samples. Among these, alpha-pinene (7.1-25.4%), sabinene (5.9-20.4%), fenchone (0.9-19.3%), limonene (1.2-7.4%) and 1,8-cineole (1.8-15.6%) were the major compounds. The results confirm that there are differences between varieties and subspecies, while cluster analysis revealed that the oil composition potentially has chemotaxonomical significance for this taxon.

Plant material and isolation procedure: Aerial parts of the plant were collected from two regions, from Kazeroon in southern Iran and Shahr-e-kord in western Iran at the time of flowering in June 2002.

The main components of the oil of S. pilifera collected from Kazeroon, in southern Iran, were spathulenol (15.8%), cis-chrysanthenol (15.3%), beta-caryophyllene (8.4%) and cis-chrysanthenyl acetate (6.9%), while for the plant collected from Shahr-e-kord, in western Iran, they were cis-chrysanthenyl acetate (21.8%), linalool (18.9%), terpinen-4-ol (11.9%) and cis-chrysanthenol (9.2%).

Wild growing Tanacetum dolichophyllum samples were collected during the period of full flowering, between September-October 2009 from high alpine meadows of Western Himalaya (Uttarakhand, India): Sample I (Dayara, altitude 3200 m) and Sample II (Tungnath, altitude 3800 m).

Plant collected from Dayara meadow (Sample I) afforded cis-lanceol (11.8%), beta-pinene (10.7%), (E)- beta-farnesene (7.4%), alpha-bisabolol (7.2%), beta-eudesmol (5.2%) and terpinen-4-ol (5.1%) as the major constituents, whereas in the sample collected from Tungnath (Sample II) beta-eudesmol (31.4%), alpha-bisabolol (10.7%) were the most abundant components followed by neryl acetate (5.8%) and (E)-beta-farnesene (5.7%). The composition was dominated by sesquiterpene hydrocarbons and oxygen containing sesquiterpenes (49.2-71.1%). The oils are clearly different from those of all other previously reported T. dolichophyllum oils.

Aerial parts of T. larvatum were collected in July 2002, during the period of full flowering from two locations in Montenegro: Mt. Komovi (Sample I) and Mt. Prokletije (Sample II), altitude ca. 1900 m.

About 40 compounds were identified, representing ~89% and 96% of the total oil content in the Samples I and II, respectively. trans-Sabinyl acetate was found to be the dominant component (51.2% and 69.7%). Among the rest of compounds beta-pinene (7.7% and 4.3%) and camphor (6.3% and 4.3%) were the most abundant in both samples.

The aerial parts of T. flavum were collected in different periods from December to July 2006, from plants growing along the Ionic coast of Sicily (Italy). LF 1-LF 2-LF 3: represent the composition of leaf oils of plant samples collected in December (vegetative stage), February (pre-flowering stage) and April (budding stage) respectively; FL: flower oil; FR: fruit oil.

Some components, in all investigated plant parts, remained more or less constant during all the different phases of the plant cycle life. Worthy of note, considering the leaf oils, was that beta-pinene, limonene and germacrene D increased in the pre-flowering stage, while a series of esters and alpha-copaene, beta-caryophyllene, viridiflorol, Tmuurolol and phytol increased in the budding stage (LF3); the vegetative stage oil is generally characterized by a rich chemical composition and some constituents such as isoamyl hexanoate, alpha-humulene, bicyclogermacrene, beta-bisabolene and alpha-bisabolol reached their highest levels in this oil. In the flower oil, linalool and 1-octen-3-yl acetate were the main components compared to the amounts found in the other oils. Fruit oil composition was relatively oil poor, with beta-bisabolene, caryophyllene oxide, cadin-4-en-1-ol and phytone as the major constituents.