Four ectomycorrhizal fungi (Amanita muscaria, Laccaria laccata, Piloderma croceum and Pisolithus tinctorius) were used to produce mycorrhiza on seedlings and micropropagated plants of Castanea sativa in vitro. Pisolithus tinctorius was most effective in colonizing roots of both micropropagated plants and seedlings. A. muscaria and L. laccata only colonized a few feeder roots of some plants and Piloderma croceum did not form mycorrhizas. Mycorrhization of micropropagated plants increased survival and growth during weaning.

The morphology and distribution of the glandular trichomes of Teucrium capitatum L., as well as the chemical composition of the essential oils, were studied. Important differences were found with regard to the major constituents of the essential oils of five populations of T. capitatum grown in Portugal. The oil isolated from one population was characterized by a high content of oxygenated monoterpenes (33.0%), isomenthone (7.7%) being the major constituent. Another oil from a population collected from the same region was dominated by monoterpene and sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (43.9% and 23.2%, respectively), alpha-pinene (7.7%), sabinene (11.2%) and beta-pinene (10.3%) being the main compounds. The oils from the other three populations were characterized by a high content of both sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (23.0%, 32.2% and 33.2%) and oxygenated sesquiterpenes (39.7%, 23.4% and 20.4%). T-cadinol (24.1%) and alpha-cadinol (9.8%) were the major compounds in the oil from one population, whereas delta-cadinene (7.5% and 9.8%) and E-caryophyllene (5.4%) or alpha-muurolol (6.0%) were the major constituents in the other samples. The indumentum of the vegetative and reproductive ograns from the five populations of T. capitatum, observed under scanning electron microscopy, showed the same type and distribution of glandular and non-glandular trichomes. Since the ecological and edaphic features of the collecting sites were quite similar, the chemical polymorphism observed seems to be due to genetic factors. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The morphology, distribution and release mechanism of the glandular trichomes of Teucrium salviastrum Schreber were studied, along with the chemical composition of the essential oils. Peltate and capitate trichomes are present on both vegetative and reproductive organs. In this study, particular emphasis is given to the capitate trichomes with long multicellular stalks. These trichomes are very abundant, and the secretion material is released by cuticule rupture on the top of the head cells. Also noteworthy is the presence of peltate trichomes on the upper surface of the ovary. Although already described in some Lamiaceae, these trichomes have not been recorded previously on any other Teucrium species. The composition of the essential oil was studied using mainly GC and GC-MS. The oils isolated from leaves, collected during the flowering and post-flowering phases of the plant, as well as the oil isolated from the flower heads, exhibited a similar chemical composition. Nevertheless, the oils showed remarkable differences in composition when compared to those reported in the literature for the same species. The present study has shown that our oil consisted mainly of E-beta-farnesene (26.1-29.3%), E-caryophyllene (19.1-24.1%) and germacrene D (13.7-21.6%). The major compound of our samples, E-beta-farnesene, is reported for the first time for this species. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The stability of olive and sunflower oils for domestic uses after frying cow steak or only heating were evaluated in the presence or absence of the carvacrol-rich essential oil of Thymbra capitata. The treatments consisted of sunflower and olive oils either enriched with 200 mg/l of T capitata oil or without it, heating at 180 degrees C for 20 min, or frying 100 g cow steak at the same temperature and for the same period of time. In all assays, acid, peroxide, and p-anisidine values were followed over time. The fatty acid profile was estimated before heating or frying as well as at the end of the experiment. The results showed that the type of fat as well as the type of treatment (frying or heating) was determinant for the acid, peroxide, and p-anisidine values found. The presence of the essential oil also demonstrated to affect those values depending on the type of the oil as well as on the type of the treatment (frying or heating). In contrast, the fatty acid profile did not change greatly.

The essential oils of Tornabenea annua, Tornabenea insularis and Tornabenea tenuissima herbarium or in vivo fruits, collected in Fogo, Santiago, Santo Antao, Sao Nicolau and Sao Vicente Islands, from Cape Verde archipelago, or from plants grown in Lisbon, Portugal, were isolated by hydrodistillation and analysed by CC and CC-MS. The yellowish oils were obtained in variable average yields, lower in herbarium samples [0.05% (v/w)] and higher from in vivo samples [1.3% (v/w)]. Whereas T annua fruits' oils were all dominated by myristicin (92-100%), most of the T insularis fruit samples' oils were elemicin rich (82-90%). No clear information could be obtained for T tenuissima fruits' oils as each of the samples gave different chemical composition. Cluster analysis of the essential oil composition from the fruits' samples studied, confirmed these chemical differences. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.. - European Social Fund [211 015]. - We are grateful to the curator of IICT Herbarium (LISC), for the access facilities to the herbarium specimens, to the technicians from Parque Nacional de Serra Malagueta, Santiago Island, and from Tapada da Ajuda, ISA, UTL. This study was partially funded by a grant from European Social Fund 211 015 (PRODEP III - 3.2).

Coriandrum sativum (coriander) is commonly used, raw or cooked, in Portuguese Gastronomy. Coriander is also used in traditional medicine as a carminative and as a digestive aid. The fruits essential oil is used in food flavouring and in perfumery and is also responsible for the digestive and stimulant effect as well as for fungicide and bactericidal activity.

Agua-mel (honey-water) is a typical honey-based product produced by the Portuguese beekeepers, particularly in southern Portugal. Agua-mel was characterized by mineral content and volatiles contents. Mineral content evaluation was performed based on a random sampling of 14 samples from a total of 16 samples provided by local producers. Mineral content showed that potassium predominated in agua-mel samples (1270-4105 mg/kg). The concentration of aluminium in one sample was tenfold higher (5.8 mg/kg) than in the remaining samples (0.3-0.6 mg/kg). Agua-mel volatiles were isolated by hydrodistillation and analysed by gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) from a subset of eight samples. Cluster analysis showed two poorly correlated clusters (S (corr) < 0.3). Cluster I only sample was dominated by trans-beta-ocimene (19 %), gamma-terpinene (15 %) and 2-furfural (9 %). Cluster II that included the remaining seven samples showed two moderately correlated subclusters (S (corr) < 0.5). The six samples with high correlation from subcluster IIa were dominated by 2-furfural (18-41 %) and benzene acetaldehyde (12-39 %). n-Nonadecane (14 %), n-heneicosane and 2-furfural (both 13 %) were the main components of subcluster IIb sample. Although the presence of some volatile compounds can help in the correlation between agua-mel and honey botanical source, the final product varies largely according to the preparation process even for the same producer, in different years. Agua-mel detailed characterization may assist in bringing added value to this typical Portuguese honey-based product.

Goodyera macrophylla, considered a rare endemic, and Gennaria diphylla are two native terrestrial Orchidaceae species that can be found mainly in Madeiran Laurisilva. The volatile compounds contributing to the floral scent of these two Madeiran orchids were analysed and compared for the first time. The volatiles, isolated by distillation-extraction in a Likens-Nickersontype apparatus, and those extracted by headspace sorption, were analysed by GC and GC-MS. The main volatile components isolated by distillation-extraction were γ-terpinene (13%) and n-nonanal (11%) in G. macrophylla and n-octacosane (19%) and n-heptacosane (13%) in G. diphylla. The main volatile components isolated by headspace sorption were p-cymene (21%), α-pinene (15%) and linalool (14%) in G. macrophylla and cis-arbusculone (28%) and lilac alcohol (26%) in G. diphylla. The importance of the volatiles in the pollination of these orchids is discussed.

The essential oils of Levisticum officinale W.D.J. Koch (Apiaceae), including those isolated from the roots, are used in the cosmetic, pharmaceutical and food industries [1]. This perennial and herbaceous plant, commonly known as lovage, is widely known by its aromatic, ornamental and medicinal properties. The effect of light and light type on growth and essential oil production of lovage hairy root cultures was studied by comparison of cultures maintained under “blue-basic” (400-550nm) and “day-light” 16h light photoperiod with control cultures maintained under darkness. All cultures were maintained in SH medium [2] and kept at 24ºC on orbital shakers at 80 r.p.m. Growth was evaluated by fresh weight (f.w.), dry weight (d.w.) and by the dissimilation method. The essential oil samples were isolated by distillation-extraction and analysed by GC and GC-MS. Control hairy root cultures showed a fifteen-fold d.w. biomass increase at the end of the growth period (six weeks), whereas an approximately eight-fold and ten-fold increase was obtained with “blue-basic” and “day-light” grown cultures, respectively. These differences were supported by morphological and histochemical analyses. Major changes were detected in the essential oil composition, but Z-falcarinol was in all cases the major oil constituent: in darkness, “day-light” and “blue-basic” grown cultures (75%, 94% and 61%, respectively).

The pinewood nematode (PWN), Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, is a major worldwide Pinus pathogen and pest, with impact on forest health, natural ecosystem stability and international trade. Essential oils (EOs) may be an alternative to the current control options. Seventy three EOs from 46 species from the Portuguese aromatic flora were screened for in vitro nematicidal activity against PWN. The suitability of Triton X-100 or acetone as EOs diluting agent was assessed; accuracy of results using the two solvents was compared and the latter found preferable. One hundred percent mortality was achieved with EOs from Chamaespartium tridentatum, Origanum vulgare, Ruta graveolens, Satureja montana, Thymbra capitata and Thymus caespititius at concentrations ranging between 0.5 and 2.0 mg/mL, and those oils analyzed by GC and GC-MS. The dominant components of the effective oils were 1 octen-3-ol (9%), n nonanal and linalool (both 7%) in C. tridentatum, carvacrol (36% and 39%), γ-terpinene (24% and 40%) in O. vulgare and S. montana, 2-undecanone (> 90%) in R. graveolens and carvacrol (75% and 65%) in T. capitata and Th. caespititius. Jorge Faria is grateful to the FCT for the PhD grant SFRH/BD/43738/2008. Partially funded by FCT under research contract PTDC/AGR-AAM/74579/2006.