Effects of harvest time and postharvest drying on oil from lavandin (Lavandula × intermedia)

Abstract Rooted cuttings of three French cultivars of lavandin were planted at Crop Research Division, Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, Lincoln and harvested over three seasons. Oil yields per inflorescence and per plant tended to increase during flowering but this increase was partly counteracted by senescence and loss of florets. The cultivar ‘Grosso’ produced high yields of oil which conformed to French specifications and oil samples evaluated in France were found to be of good quality. Oil from the other two cultivars had lower percentages of linalyl acetate, terpinen-4-ol, and lavandulyl acetate and higher percentages of 1,8-cineole, linalool, and camphor or borneol. Oil samples from one of these cultivars conformed to specifications for cultivar ‘Abrialii’. In ‘Grosso’ percentages of monoterpenes and 1,8-cineole decreased during flowering. More oil was extracted from dried than from fresh inflorescences and this oil had higher levels of linalyl acetate and lower levels of monoterpen...