Qualitative and Quantitative Evaluation of Rhizome Essential Oil of Eight Different Cultivars ofCurcuma longaL. (Turmeric)

Curcuma longa L. (turmeric), family Zingiberaceae, is an industrially valued plant having multipurpose use in cosmetics, dye, food and pharmaceutical industries. In the present study, the essential oil content and composition of 8 Indian turmeric cultivars has been analysed under similar environmental condition. The essential oil content of the fresh rhizomes varied from 0.5-0.9 % (v/w) and oil yield per plant varied from 1.6-3.49 ml. The GC/MS analysis has shown the presence of about 24-32 compounds representing 78.6-90.2 % of the total essential oil among 8 cultivars. The major compounds identified were Ar-Turmerone (39.5-45.5 %), Curlone (9.8-11.7 %), α-Phellandrene (5.5-7.7 %), Eucalyptol (3.2-5.5 %), β-Himachalene (1.6-5.5 %) and α-Copen-11-ol (2.3-5.4 %). Sesquiterpene hydrocarbons were found to be the main constituents in all eight cultivars analysed. Thus the result revealed that the cultivars Suroma and Lakadong having significantly high essential oil yield and quality could be used for commercial production of essential oil for their stable supply to national and international market.