EFFECT OF ONTOGENETIC AND DIURNAL VARIABILITIES ON YIELD AND QUALITY CHARACTERISTICS OF SUMMER SAVORY (SATUREJA HORTENSIS L.)

This study was carried out to determine the effects of different harvest times (ontogenetic and diurnal variability) on the yield characteristics, content and composition of essential oil in summer savory (Satureja hortensis L.) in 2014 and 2015. The experiments were conducted at the experimental fields of the department of field crops, Faculty of Agriculture, Eskisehir Osmangazi University using a split-plot randomized complete block design with three replications. According to this research results, values of dry herb yield, dry leaf yield, essential oil content and essential oil yield ranged from 2.11-3.26 t ha(-1), 2.07-2.79 t ha(-1), 2, 55-3, 73% and 56.89-93.57 1 ha(-1), respectively. Carvacrol, the first main component of the essential oil, ranged from 49.71 to 54.75%, while gamma-terpinene, the second main component, changed from 28,03 to 34.58%, Considering the dry leaf, essential oil yield, content and components, the harvest in 40-60% flowering period and at 12:00 pm for the cultivation of summer savory in EskiKhir ecological conditions can be suggested.