Essential oil constituents of intact plants and in vitro cultures of Tagetes patula L.

Abstract

The occurrence of volatile compounds in flowers and roots of intact plants and in vitro hairy root cultures of Tagetes patula L. was investigated by GC and GC/MS. The flowers oil was dominated by mono- and sesquiterpenes. The main component was the sesquiterpene hydrocarbon beta-caryophyllene (50.2%). However, the oils of normal roots and hairy root cultures were found to contain sulfur-containing thiophene structures. The following four compounds were identified: 5-(3-buten-1-ynyl)-2,2'-bithiophene (BBT), 5-(3-penten-1-ynyl)-2,2'-bithiophene (PBT), 2,2':5',2"-terthiophene (alpha-terthiophene) and 5-(4-acetoxy-1-butynyl)-2,2'-bithiophene (BBTOAc). The main components were BBT (47.0%) and alpha-terthiophene (19.8%) in the normal root oil and BBT (25.0%), alpha-terthiophene (14.3%) and BBTOAc (13.7%) in hairy root oil, respectively.