Plant material: Coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.) fruits were collected from cultivated plants in the region of Korba (northeastern Tunisia) in April 2006. Seeds were set to germinate at 25 ℃. Ten-day-old coriander seedlings were grown in quarter-strength Hoagland's solution laced with 0 mM, 25 mM, 50 mM and 75 mM of NaCl. The culture was placed in a greenhouse with 25 ℃ day maximum and 18 ℃ night minimum, under artificial light of 141 µmol/m² /s (6000 lux) with 16 h photoperiod and 60-80% air humidity. Nutrient solution was continuously aerated. Growth parameters: Plants were harvested at the seedling stage 3 weeks after treatment.

Essential oil content was 1762.64 µg/g dry weight (DW) (0.18%) and 1255.77 µg/g DW (0.12%) in stems and leaves, respectively. At low and moderate stress, a significant difference in the essential oil content was developed between stems, with a significant decrease, and leaves, with an increase up to 43%. Under high salinity, the oil content of both organs decreased significantly. The major volatile compound of stems and leaves was (E)-2-decenal with 24% and 52%, respectively. Other important components were decanal, (E)-2-dodecenal, dodecanal, (E)-2-undecenal, (E)-2-tridecenal and (E)-2-undecanal. Further, the content of these compounds were affected differently by the treatment level and by the organ type.

The plants were cultivated in the Botanical Garden of the University of Agriculture, Plovdiv/Bulgaria on meadow-carbonate soil with neutral reaction (pH 7.1-7.2) and were harvested during the flowering period (July and September). The reserves of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in the soil (NPK) were: NH⁴⁺ 31.42 mg/kg; NO^3- 16.66 mg/kg; P₂O₅ 12.3 mg/100 g and K₂O 11.4 mg/100 g. Ammonium nitrogen and nitrate nitrogen were extracted from the soil with a 1% solution of KCI and were determined by consecutive distillation on a Parnas-Vagner apparatus. Phosphorus was determined by the Egner-Ream method and potassium was extracted with 2 n HCI and was determined by flame photometry. The plants were grown as seedlings and were planted in a two-row bed 50 × (20 + 20) cm in patches of 5 m². A scheme on the increase was used for the introduction of N, P and K fertilizers. The experiment was carried out as a randomized block modus - 15 variants in 4 replications (6 levels for N and 4 levels for P and K). Phosphorus (triple superphosphate - 50 % active substance) and potassium (potassium sulphate - 50 % active substance) were introduced only once before planting. Nitrogen (the ammonium nitrate - 33 % active substance) was introduced in three portions - during preparing of the soil, during the plants drafting (active vegetation) and at the full bloom.

The highest oil yield was obtained from leaves in July for N4P2K4 (0.63%) and the basic components were piperitenone (29.4%) and piperitone (13.5%). The mineral fertilization had no effect on the oil yield from the flowers. Regardless of the variant, it was found that the flower oils in July were rich in caryophyllene oxide (12.0-48.4%) and piperitenone (3.0-7.0%), while the oil composition in September was different.