Essential Oil Composition of Four Major Cultivars of Black Pepper (Piper nigrum L.)—IV

Abstract

Four major cultivars of black pepper from Kerala viz. Aimpiriyan, Narayakodi Neelamundi and Uthirankotta were analyzed for a period of three consecutive seasons for their oil composition. Fifty-five compounds were identified in the oils by GC and GC/MS. The main components of Aimpiriyan oil were limonene (19.8%-22.5%), β-pinene (9.3–23.9%), limonene (8.3–18%) and β-caryophyllene (20.3–34.7%). Narayakodi oil contained as major compounds sabinene (4.4–24.6 %) limonene (9.5–19.5%), β-pinene (4.8–15.6%), β-caryophyllene (29.8–52.9%) and caryophyllene oxide (2.3–3.9%). Neelamundi oil contained a-pinene (4.7–6.5%), sabinene (23.2–27.3%), β-pinene (7.8–11.3%), limonene (12.9–18.6%) and β-caryophyllene (17.0–31.0%). The oil from Uthirankotta contained α-pinene (9.1–14.6%), β-pinene (9.3–12.5%), γ-3-carene (6.7–8.5%), limonene (13.3–19.5%), β-caryophyllene (25.1–37.8%) and caryophyllene oxide (0.6–2.7 %).

Key Word Index:

• Piper nigrum
• Piperaceae
• black pepper cultivars
• essential oil composition
• myrcene
• β-pinene
• sabinene
• limonene
• β-caryophyllene
• elemol