Cultivation of Essential Oils

Abstract Essential oils or volatile oils have been traditionally used in food and beverages since time immemorial and they also have applications in several other fields. Systematic cultivation strategies of essential oil-bearing plants are necessary to ascertain the steady supply of quality plant materials for essential oil production. There are about 400 plant species which are cultivated on a large commercial scale for production of essential oils. There are several factors influencing cultivation of aromatic plants. The present chapter illustratively deals with the cultivation-related factors and contemporary cultivation strategies of some important essential oil-bearing plants.