GC-MS ANALYSIS OF ESSENTIAL OIL OF SOME HIGH DRUG YIELDING GENOTYPES OF TURMERIC (CURCUMA LONGA L.)

Objective: The aim of this investigation was to carry out the qualitative evaluation of selected high drug yielding elite genotypes of turmeric to add to their eliteness. Methods: 131 turmeric genotypes collected from 10 different agroclimatic zones were analysed for curcumin content. Leaves and rhizomes of these plants were collected for extraction of essential oil. Curcumin percentage of the sample was estimated according to the ASTA method. Essential oil was extracted by hydro-distillation of fresh leaves and rhizomes following the method of Guenther (1972). Initial screening of elite genotypes was done on the basis of curcumin content (≥5%), rhizome oil content (≥1.5%) and leaf oil content (≥0.5%). Selected elite genotypes were subjected to qualitative evaluation of essential oil through GC-MS analysis. Results: The five high rhizome oil yielding genotypes, TR1, TR2, TR3 and TR5 containing high rhizome oil yield of 2.1%, 1.7%, 1.6% and 1.5% respectively were considered to be elite clones containing tumerone as the major constituent of rhizome essential oil along with all desirable constituents. On the basis of leaf oil yield, genotypes TL1 and TL2 with 1.9% and 1.1% leaf oil were proved as elite clones with α–phellandrene as the major constituent along with other desirable constituents. GC-MS analysis of 3 selected high curcumin yielding genotypes TC1, TC2 and TC3 with curcumin content 7.3, 7.2 and 7.0% respectively revealed TC1 and TC2 as elite genotypes containing high quality rhizome and leaf oil. Conclusion: The present investigation reveals that eight genotypes of turmeric selected with high drug yield and high quality essential oil would have enough significance for boosting the production and export of value added products in the national and international market.