Yield and quality of sage herb (<i>Salvia officinalis</i>L.) from organic cultivation

Abstract

In 2008–2010, in a field experiment, the yield and the quality of sage herb of Polish cultivar Bona in organic and conventional cultivation were tested. The experiment was established in four different locations. Fresh and dried herb yield, stem content, seed yield, weight of 1000 kernels, essential oil content and its composition, and microbiological purity of the dried herb were evaluated. The highest yield of sage herb was obtained in experiments in Plewiska (conventional) and Słońsk (organic). Satisfactory yields of sage seeds were obtained in both systems. The essential oil content and composition did not depend on location. Evaluation of microbiological purity showed that contamination of the herb from either type of cultivation did not exceed standards for raw materials treated with hot water. Sage cv. Bona can successfully be cultivated in an organic system.