Study of the substrate and fertilisation effects on the production of essential oils of Rosmarinus officinalis L. cultivated in pots

Rosmarinus officinalis L. is a perennial sub-shrub growing wild in all of the coastal regions of the Mediterranean Sea, and cultivated in some Mediterranean countries. In Portugal, rosemary grows wild and is very appreciated in culinary preparations as a spice and in herbal teas. This work submits studies on the essential oil composition leaves of R. officinalis kept in pots using three different substrates: fertilised turf (RTUFF2), non-fertilised turf (RTUNFF2) and a sandy soil (RTF2). These treatments were fertigated every fifteen days. These essential oils show high percentages of terpene hydrocarbons and oxygenated monoterpenes independently of the substrate used. In all cases, the main component was myrcene. RTF2 samples present the lowest concentrations of myrcene and camphor and the highest percentage of verbenone.