Seasonal Variation in Oil Yield and Composition from Thymus vulgaris L. under different Dense Cultivation

Thyme oil rich in phenols have antiseptic and fungicidal activity and also used in the food flavor industry. Seasonal variation and plant density are two important factors with significant effect on quality and quantity of volatile oil crops.‏‏This experiment conducted in research farm of Institute of Medicinal Plants along 1999- 2000 on the base of factorial experiment in randomized complete block design with three replication, in order to evaluated above mentioned effects.Thyme is cultivated in rows of 50 cm apart with interrow spacing of 15/30 or 45 cm. Plant are harvested in 5 different times.The maximum yields of dry & wet herbage, volatile oil and thymol were obtained in 15 cm space and at the last harvest (Oct 2000). Seasonal variation had significant effect (P<0.01) on oil content and maximum content of oil (2.317%) was obtained at forth harvest (June 2000). Planting space hadn’t effect on oil and thymol content.Finally we find that planting space and seasonal variation have significant effect on quality and quantity yield of thyme.