Essential Oil Composition of Four Major Cultivars of Black Pepper (<i>Piper nigrum</i>L.)

Abstract

Abstract Four major cultivars of black pepper from Kerala viz Kottanadan, Ottaplackal, Kuthiravally, and Cheriakania kadan were analyzed for a period of three consecutive seasons for their oil composition. Fifty-five compounds were identified in the oils by GC and GC/MS. The main components of Kottanadan oil were sabinene (11.2–22.6%), β-pinene (7.5–15.4%), limonene (12.7–23.8%) and β-caryophyllene (8.9–24.1%), while Ottaplackal oil contained sabinene (0.1–26.8%) β-pinene (3.8–11.7%), myrcene (0–18.6%), limonene (15.5–21.7%) and β-caryophyllene(15.5–21.7%). Kuthiravally oil contained β-pinene (3.8–10.9%), limonene (9.0–16.9%) and β-caryophyllene (29.0–46.0%), while Cheriakaniakadan oil was rich in sabinene (9.7–22.3%), β-pinene (7.7–11.2%), limonene (14.7–17.8%) and β-caryophyllene (17.4–23.1%).