Identification and comparison of essential oil composition and mineral changes in different phenological stages of Satureja hortensis L. Naser Karimi1*, Mojgan Yari1 and Hamid Reza Ghasmpour2

Satureja hortensis L., (summer savory) is an annual, herbaceous aromatic and well-known medicinal plant. S. hortensis essential oil has a high percentage of carvacrol which is responsible mainly for its biological activity. The biomass production, essential oil composition and mineral content of Satureja hortensis are known to be dependent on its growth and development conditions. The aim of this work was, therefore, to evaluate the essential oil composition as well as minerals content at different stages of growth of Satureja hortensis. The growth media was 10 cm diameter pots containing perlite watered using Hoagland nutrient solution. Plants were harvested at different stages of growth (before flowering and after flowering period) and dry weights were measured. The essential oils were analyzed by GC-MS. Before flowering stage and in full flowering stage, 29 compounds were characterized. In both stages, carvacrol showed the highest rates of the compounds an increasing trend from before flowing to flowering so that it changed from 47.77% to 49.96% whereas α-terpinene and cymene had a decreasing trend from before flowing to flowering stage. There was a rapid uptake of minerals during early growth and gradual dilution as the plant matured. Phosphorus and magnesium concentrations increased with expansion of growth and development in shoots and roots.