Preponderance of cumin (Cuminum cyminum L.) essential oil constituents across cumin growing Agro-Ecological Sub Regions, India

Abstract

Cumin seeds were collected from agro-ecological sub-regions comprising of major cumin growing areasof Rajasthan and Gujarat state, India, to analyze chemical composition of essential oil. The study areawas located between the geographical co-ordinates 21◦78 32 N, 71◦33 85 E to 26◦21 28 N, 74◦37 61 E. Maximum and minimum EO yield (35.9–28.4%) were obtained in cumin from AESR 2.4 and 5.1 respec-tively. GC–MS analysis of EO indicated the preponderance of terpenic hydrocarbons in the AESR 2.4(53.85%) and decrease in AESR 2.1 (32.62%) while cuminaldehyde content was more (39.90%) in AESR4.2 and less (25.84%) in 2.4. The prominent terpenic compounds included -terpinene, -pinene, san-tolina triene, -terpinene, -pinene and -thujene, the concentration of these compounds varied withAESRs. Cumic alcohol (10.33–14.40%), anethol & estragol (4.03–9.15%) were the major alcohols with cymol(2.9–4.26%) and geraniol (0.02–2.39%) in traces. Total phenolic content in the various AESRs ranged from41.50 (AESR 5.1) to 58.61 mg GAEg−1seeds (AESR 2.3) while the flavonoid content in the AESRs rangedbetween 27.14–36.03 mg QE g−1seeds, being least in 4.2 and highest in 5.1. The study revealed thatthe average radical scavenging percentage of methanol seed extract does not vary with the differentAESRs (94.98–99.05%), as well as EC50value is also same (15.31–15.38 mg BHTE) for samples from dif-ferent AESRs. Cumin from the AESRs with favorable minimum and maximum temperature and rainfallshowed high cuminaldehyde bearing pleasant aroma whereas the AESRs with biotic/abiotic stressesshowed higher terpenic compounds with increased pungency.