Agrobiological assessment of wild Carum carvi L. cenopopulation biodiversity Ex situ

Abstract

In 2000–2004, collections of 107 wild caraway samples were grown and field trials were established at the trial station of the LUA. The earliness of the study cenopopulations had an impact on their morphological and productivity parameters. The hierarchic-cluster analysis was performed according to phenological data as well as petal and leaf colour. Early-season caraway forms showed the lowest height, fruit weight and total yield, but had the highest carvone content in fruit essential oil. Pink petals are characteristic of early-season caraway cenopopulations. White petal colour, higher leaf pigmentation and fruit productivity, as well as essential oil and carvone output characterize medium-late and late forms. According to qualitative and quantitative traits, cenopopulations with an extra high fruit essential oil content, high carvone content in essential oil, fruit weight and one plant yield as well as early and late highly productive cenopopulations were selected. Keywords: essential oil, carvone, productivity, ex situ, biodiversity, Carum carvi