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Abstract
Wide applications and low oil content of damask rose have made it mandatory to design agro practices which can increase the oil yield and quality. Therefore, experiments were conducted to study the variation in essential oil content and composition of damask rose (Rosa damascena Mill.) by potassium nitrate (KNO3) foliar spray and use of sodium chloride salt (NaCl) during distillation of flowers under western Himalayas during 2012 at CSIR-Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology, Palampur, India. The quantity was measured as the ratio of oil to rose flower (v/w, %) and the quality was evaluated using the oil composition. The essential oil content and composition were affected by foliar spray of KNO3 on rose plants and addition of NaCl in water during distillation. Significantly higher number of flowers and flower yield were recorded by the application of 900 ppm KNO3. The percentage of citronellol+nerol, increased with application of KNO3 up to 900 ppm and declined thereafter. Geraniol content increased with application of KNO3 up to 1200 ppm. Flowers treated with 75 g NaCl/kg of rose flowers showed an increase of 42% oil yield over control. Beside this a decrease of 44% and an increase of 26% were observed in the percentage of hydrocarbons and monoterpene alcohols, respectively, in this treatment compared to control.