Abstract

The chemical compositions of essential oil from nine distinct genotypes of Iranian Rosa damascena (Fars1, Fars2, Tehran, Mazandaran, Gilan, East Azar, Ardabi, Kermanshah and Qom) were determined following gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS) analysis. The main essential oil components identified in the different genotypes were citronellol, geraniol, neral, linalool and nonadecane. The relative percentage of citronellol was highest in Fars1 (42.2%) and Gilan (40.3%) genotypes and lowest in the Qom (2.2%) and East Azar (0.6%) genotypes, while in Mazandaran, Ardabil and Kermanshah genotypes citronellol was not detected. The highest content of geraniol was detected in the essential oil of the Kermanshah genotype (37.5%); however, in the Fars1, Fars2, Tehran, Gilan, East Azar, Kermanshah and Qom genotypes this component was not detected. Linalool was detected in the essential oil of all genotypes, and the highest amount of this component was in Fars2 (39.2%). Hydrocarbons had the highest contribution to the essential oil of the East Azar genotype. The major hydrocarbons identified in all genotypes were nonadecane (10.7 to 51.2%), heneicosane (3.7 to 18%), eicosane (0.8 to 6.2%) and tricosane (0.5 to 2.4%).

Key words: Rosa damascena, essential oil, genotypes.