Evaluation of the effects of different environmental factors on the quality and quantity of the essential oil of Prangos ferulacea (L.) Lindl.

The present study was carried out to investigate the role of some environmental factors on the quality and quantity of the essential oils of Prangos ferulacea (L.) Lindl. grown in four different locations in Iran. Chemical constituents of the essential oil were extracted by hydrodistillation and were identified using GC-MS. Among identified compounds, thirty one compounds were jointly found in the plant EOs of all four sampling locations. Monoterpene hydrocarbons were the significant portion of the essential oils and α-pinene, β-pinene, δ-3-carene, germacrene B and α- humulene were the five main constituents of the plant EOs that were jointly found in EOs of four sampling places. According to obtained results, the amount of cis-β-farnesene, germacrene-B and thymol was enhanced by increasing the relative humidity in four sampling places. Moreover, the content of α-pinene and α-terpineol was significantly increased by enhancement of temperature and altitude of the locations.