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Morpho-agronomic Characteristics, Essential Oil Content and Essential Oil Yield

of Oregano (Origanum vulgare L.) in Ethiopia

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 Scholarly Journal of Agricultural Science Vol. 4(12), pp. 565-571 December, 2014
Available online at http:// www.scholarly-journals.com/SJAS
ISSN 2276-7118 © 2014 Scholarly-Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Morpho-agronomic Characteristics, Essential Oil

Content and Essential Oil Yield of Oregano
(Origanum vulgare L.) in Ethiopia
Beemnet Mengesha Kassahun1*, Samuel Tilahun2, Zewdinesh Damtew Zigene1, Zinash
Teferi1, Mihret Mekonnen1, Bekri Melka1
1
Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research, Wondo Genet Agricultural Research Center, P.O Box 198,
Shashemene, Ethiopia.
2
Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research, Holleta Agricultural Research Center
Accepted 5 December, 2014

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the performance oregano in different agro-ecology of

Ethiopia for its agronomic and quality traits at Wondo Genet, Koka and Holleta for two years from 2012
to 2013. Data on plant height, leaf to stem ratio, fresh leaf yield/plant, fresh leaf yield/ha, percent
essential oil (EO) content and EO yield were collected from three locations arranged in randomized
complete block design with four replications. Testing location exerted a highly significant influence
(P<0.01) on the performance of oregano. The overall mean performance of plant height, leaf to stem
ratio, leaf yield/plant, leaf yield/ha were 39.87 cm, 2.68, 159.27 g and 8.91 t, respectively. The respective
plant height, leaf to stem ratio, leaf yield/plant, leaf yield/ha of oregano across the tested location ranged
from 34.93 to 39.87 cm, 1.05 to 3.33, 105.86 to 216.08 g and 5.88 to 12.01 t. The highest value of plant
height was recorded at Wondo Genet; while, the lowest was obtained at Holleta. However, the highest
values for leaf yield/plant and leaf yield/ha of oregano was recorded at Holleta. The respective overall
mean value of EO content and EO yield tested at three locations and two years were 0.52% and 45.67 kg.
The EO content and EO yield ranged from 0.37-0.79% and 23.09-69.81 kg, respectively. The highest
values of these characters were obtained at Wondo Genet. The values on EO content and EO yield were
consistent under both testing years. Hence, it is the location that affects the production of oregano in
the country.

Key words: Aromatic Herb, Essential oil, Ethiopia, Oregano, Spice.

INTRODUCTION

Oregano (Origanum vulgare L.) is a spice, medicinal and precipitation of 0.4–2.7 m and a range of soil pH from
aromatic perennial herb that belongs to the member of 4.5–8.7 is appropriate for its growth (Marzi, 1997). It is
the Lamiaceae family and has a complex taxonomy cultivated and distributed all over Europe, West and
(Derwich et al., 2010; Fatma et al., 2010). The genus Central Asia up to Taiwan (Ietswaart, 1980). This
Origanum includes 39 species (Kintzios, 2002) from indicates the economic significance of the crop in
which, only O. vulgare L. is available in Ethiopia. diversified societies and communities of the different
Oregano is native to the Mediterranean Basin (Thanos, countries.
1995). It grows in different areas at wider ranges of Oregano has been a valuable source of natural
ecologies (Snogerup, 1971). The climatic life zone for O. products for maintaining human health for a long period
vulgare reported to be 5–28°C with an annual of time, especially in the last decades (Force et al.,
2000). Oregano plays a primary role among culinary
herbs in world trade (Oliver, 1997). The use of oregano
as medicinal plant is believed to be due to biological
*Corresponding author’s e-mail: properties of p-cymene and carvacrol (D’Antuono et al.,
[email protected]. 2000). The fresh leaves and dried herb of oregano as
 Scholarly J. Agric. Sci. 566

Table 1. Summary of site descriptions for three testing locations in Ethiopia.

Annual average
Testing Rainfall Altitude
Latitude Longitude Soil pH Soil type temperature (°c)
locations (mm) (m.a.s.l)
Minimum Maximum
Wondo Genet 7°192'N 38°382'E 6.4 sandy clay loam 1000 1876 12.02 26.72
Koka 8°26' N 39°1' E - Clay soil 830.9 1604 13.68 28.30
Holleta 9°03' N 38°30' E 5.5 red brown clay loam soil 1100 2390 6.13°C 22.2°C

well as essential oil are used medicinally (Hammer et al., and development gaps, this experiment was carried out
1999). The essential oil of oregano has antifungal (Cleff with the objective of evaluating the performance of
et al., 2010; Ertas et al., 2005), antibacterial (Baydar et oregano for agronomic and chemical traits under different
al., 2004; Viuda-Martos et al., 2008), antioxidant (Milos et agro ecologies of Ethiopia.
al., 2000; Sahin et al., 2004; Shan et al., 2005; Wojdylo et
al., 2007), antihyperglycaemic (Lembadri et al., 2004),
antithrombin (Goun et al., 2002) and cytotoxial activity MATERIALS AND METHODS
(Sivropoulou et al., 1996). Some authors have reported
the effectiveness of oregano extracts to reduce lipid Planting material maintained at the botanic garden of
oxidation (Djenane et al., 2002; 2003; Fasseas et al., Wondo Genet Agricultural Research was used for the
2007; Camo et al., 2008), color loss, and microbial study. The experiment was conducted in Oromia and
growth (Djenane et al., 2002; 2003; Camo et al., 2008; SNNPRS regions of Ethiopia at Wondo Genet, Koka and
Zinoviadou et al., 2009) in some types of meats. Herbs Holleta for two years from 2012 to 2013. The ecological
and extracts of oregano have been added in a variety of descriptions of the testing locations are summarized
foods to improve their sensory characteristics and extend under table 1. Top cuttings having five pairs of leaves
shelf-life (Shahidi et al., 1992). were taken from 6 months old disease free mother plants
There are many factors that influence agronomic for seedling preparation. The lower two pairs of leaves
characteristics, biomass and essential oil yield of were removed and planted in properly prepared soil
aromatic plants. Among these, genotype and growing mixtures in polyethylene bags of 10 cm diameter and 12
conditions (Marotti et al., 1994; Beemnet and Getinet, cm height. Seedlings were raised in the nursery for three
2010; Beemnet et al., 2011; 2013), harvesting age months in polyethylene bags before being transplanted to
(Marotti et al., 1993; Beemnet et al., 2011) and spacing the field experimental plots.
(Yasin et al., 2003; Khazaie et al., 2007; Al-Ramamneh A spacing of 60 cm was maintained between rows and
2009; Solomon and Beemnet, 2011; Beemnet et al., 30 cm between plants. Six rows each having six plants
2012) are primarily mentioned. In Ethiopia, there exists were maintained in the plot. No fertilizer and chemical
diverse ecological condition (NMSA, 1996; Kebebew, was applied during evaluation activity. All cultural
2003; Andargachew, 2007). Due to the existence of practices and watering through flooding irrigation were
diverse agro ecologies, it is a prerequisite to evaluate the done as required. Harvesting was done 6 months after
performance of oregano under different locations of transplanting to the main experimental field. Harvesting
Ethiopia for its agronomic and chemical characters for was done by cutting the plant 5 cm above the ground
getting optimum benefit out of the cultivation of oregano. level with the help of sickles as soon as the night dew
In Ethiopia, Wondo Genet Agricultural Research Center has evaporated from the plants.
is conducting and coordinating a number of research and Data on plant height, leaf to stem ratio, fresh leaf
development activities about the production, processing, yield/plant, fresh leaf yield/ha, percent EO content and
marketing and utilization of prioritized aromatic and EO yield were collected from four locations arranged in
medicinal plants at national level. From these priority randomized complete block design with four replications.
crops, oregano is the one. Despite the crop has got Percent EO content was determined on fresh weight
diverse potential uses, no effort has been made to (w/w) basis from 250g of fresh composite leaves
evaluate its performance on morpho-agronomic and harvested from the three middle row plants of a plot. The
chemical traits in Ethiopia. This indicates that, the current laboratory analysis was done at Wondo Genet
knowledge about its agronomy, variety development and Agricultural Research Center. EO was extracted by hydro
biology are neither complete nor conclusive and, hence, distillation as illustrated by Guenther (1972).
many aspects of oregano remain unknown under To statically analyze the differences in agronomic and
Ethiopian condition before this study. Consequently, our chemical characteristics caused by the growing locations
knowledge on this potential crop is limited. This lack of and years, five samples were taken from the central rows
information is a major hindrance to exploit this of each plot replicated four times. Statistical analysis of
economically important spice, aromatic and medicinal experimental data was performed by analysis of variance
herb more. To help in filling the aforementioned research (ANOVA) using SAS PROC GLM (2002) at P<0.05.
Kassahun et al., 567

Table 2. Mean squares form the combined analysis of variance for the different traits of oregano tested at Wondo Genet, Koka and
Holleta tested during 2012 and 2013.

Source of Plant Leaf to stem Leaf Leaf EO content EO

Df
Variation height ratio yield/plant yield/ha (%) yield
Replication 3 7.23 0.95 762.1 2876708 0.0041 191
Location (L) 2 49.90* 2.59ns 24362.6* 75009809** 0.4452** 4379**
Year (Y) 1 86.26* 0.10ns 29.9ns 363ns 0.0001 2.66
L*Y 2 46.9ns 0.31ns 805.1ns 2707928ns 0.0028 69.19
Error 15 13.18 0.97 1726.13 5640039 0.0058 152
CV 9.76 ns 29.52 26.66 14.65 26.99
**= Significant at P < 0.01 level, *= Significant at P < 0.05 level and ns=Non significant at P < 0.05 level.

Table 3. Some morphological characters of oregano

Morphological Characters Range Average

Leaf length (cm) 1.7-2.8 2.21
Leaf width (cm) 1-1.50 1.18
Leaf to stem ratio 1.05-3.33 2.68

Differences between means were assessed using the and Getinet, 2010), Cymbopogon citratus L. (Beemnet et
least significance difference (LSD) test at P<0.05. al., 2011), Artemisia annua L. (Belay, 2007; Zewdinesh et
al., 2011), Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni (Beemnet et al.,
2012) and Aflatuni (2005) for Mentha arvensis L. and M.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION piperiata L., indicating the importance of knowing
optimum growing locations before intending production of
Variation in Morpho-agronomic Characteristics and oregano in Ethiopia.
Chemical Traits of Oregano
Performance of Oregano in Morpho-agronomic and
Mean squares from combined analysis of variance for six Chemical Characters
characters of oregano tested for two years at three
locations of Ethiopia are summarized in table 2. Testing Analysis of variance revealed that there existed a
year exerted a significant influence (P<0.05) only on plant performance variation in morpho-agronomic characters
height. Interaction effects of location by testing year (plant height, leaf to stem ratio, leaf yield/plant and leaf
exerted a non significant influence (P<0.05) on all yield/ha) and chemical characters (percent EO content
parameters considered in this activity indicating and EO yield/ha) of oregano across testing locations and
performance consistency of the different characters over years (Table 2). The overall mean and range values of
the testing years under different locations. Location morphological characters (leaf length and width) are
exerted a significant influence (P<0.05) on plant height summarized in table 3. The respective mean
and fresh leaf yield/plant, and a highly significant performances of agronomic and chemical characters of
influence (P<0.01) on leaf yield/ha, percent EO content due to location effects and testing years are summarized
and EO yield. This indicates, these traits were influenced in tables 4 and 5.
by a change in the growing environment. The significance
of location effect was expected because Wondo Genet, Performance of Oregano in Morphological and
Koka and Holleta vary in their soil type, rainfall and Agronomic Characters in Ethiopia
temperature (Table 1). In agreement to the present study,
Fehr (1991) reported that every factor that is a part of the The overall mean performance of leaf length, leaf width,
environment of a plant has the potential to cause plant height, leaf to stem ratio, leaf yield/plant, leaf
differential performance. Likewise, Frankel et al. (1994) yield/ha were 2.21 cm, 1.18 cm, 37.18 cm, 2.68, 159.27 g
and IRRI (1996) reported that fluctuating features of the and 8.91 t, respectively. The respective leaf length, leaf
location such as rainfall, relative humidity, temperature, width, plant height, leaf to stem ratio, leaf yield/plant and
etc. are some of the environmental factors that cause leaf yield/ha of oregano across the tested location ranged
performance variation in plants. The influence of location from 1.7 to 2.8 cm, 1 to 1.50 cm, 34.93 to 39.87 cm, 1.05
on agronomic and chemical traits of aromatic and to 3.33, 105.86 to 216.08 g and 5.88 to 12.01 t. The
medicinal plants were also reported Aloysia triphylla L. highest value of plant height was recorded at Wondo
(Beemnet et al., 2013), Coriandrum sativum L. (Beemnet Genet; while, the lowest was obtained at Holleta.
 Scholarly J. Agric. Sci. 568

Table 4. Mean performance of oregano for its agronomic and chemical traits tested at Wondo Genet, Koka and Holleta during the year
2012 and 2013.

Plant height Leaf yield/plant Leaf to stem Leaf yield/ha EO content EO yield
Locations
(cm) (g) ratio (kg) (%) (kg/ha)
Holleta 34.93b 216.08a 3.33a 12004a 0.37b 23.09b
Koka 36.75ab 105.86c 1.05a 5881c 0.39b 44.09c
a b a b a a
Wondo Genet 39.87 155.88 2.29 8835 0.79 69.81
Mean 37.18 159.27 2.68 8906.62 0.519 45.67
LSD0.05 3.86 44.27 2.41 2531 0.08 13.14
CV (%) 9.76 26.08 36.77 26.66 14.65 26.99

Means followed by the same letter with in the same column are statistically non significant at P < 0.05 according to least significant difference
(LSD) test.

Table 5. Mean performance of oregano for its agronomic and chemical traits tested at Wondo Genet, Koka and Holleta
during the year 2012 and 2013.

Testing Plant height Leaf Leaf to stem Leaf yield/ha EO content EO yield
years (cm) yield/plant (g) ratio (kg) (%) (kg/ha)
2012 39.08a 158.16a 2.61a 8902.7a 0.52a 46.00a
2013 35.29b 160.39a 2.74a 8910.5a 0.51a 45.33a
Mean 37.18 159.27 2.68 8906.62 0.519 45.67
LSD0.05 3.15 36.15 0.85 2066.5 0.06 10.72
CV (%) 9.76 26.08 36.77 26.66 14.65 26.99

Means followed by the same letter with in the same column are statistically non significant at P < 0.05 according to least significant
difference (LSD) test.

However, the highest values for leaf to stem ratio, leaf 62.1 cm, 40.9 to 364 g and 0.17 to 1.52 g was reported
yield/plant and leaf yield/ha of oregano was recorded at for oregano evaluated under different growth stage in
Holleta. The performances of oregano on leaf to stem Poland (Wierdak, 2009).
ratio, leaf yield/plant and leaf yield/ha over the testing The variation in morpho-agronomic characters in
years was found consistent except for plant height. oregano in the different reports from the current study
Compared with the first testing year, a decreasing value may be due to the variation in genotype, environment,
of 9.69% plant height was measured in second year. soil, climatic factors. The existence of variation in
A relatively lower value of leaf length (10–50 mm) and agronomic characters due to genotype/cultivar, edahphic
leaf width (5–25 mm) was reported by Raduiene and and climatic conditions was also reported by Nidagundi
Stankeviciene (2005) during characterization activities of and Hedge (2007) for chamomiles. In Ethiopia, variation
14 accessions of Lithuania oregano. The current study is in agronomic characters due to the variation in
within the range of plant height report from 30–60 cm by environmental, climatic and edaphic factors was also
(Kokkini, 1997). In agreement with the present study, a reported for lemon verbena (Beemnet et al., 2013),
comparable range of values from 17.31–34.24 cm, lemongrass (Beemnet et al., 2011) and coriander
10.59–15.11 cm and 34.50–61.00 cm was reported for (Beemnet and Getinet, 2010). As the value obtained in
leaf length, leaf width and plant height for studies this experiment demonstrated comparable morpho-
conducted on 144 genotypes of Iranian oregano (Andi et agronomic characters with the different reports, it is
al., 2011). A short plant height range between 15 and 25 possible to cultivate oregano in Ethiopian for the
cm was reported by Hobincu (2012) in agrobiology study production of spice, aromatic and medicinal herbal leaf of
of oregano species. A lower fresh yield/plant up to 56.6 g oregano.
was reported by Dunford and Vazquez (2005) from
experiments under different water stress conditions in Performance of Oregano for Chemical Traits in
Mexico. Ahmad et al. (2008) reported a comparable plant Ethiopia
height range from 25.45 to 55.58 cm and lower range of
fresh leaf yield/ha (2.02-6.42 t/ha) for Oregano in Iran. A The overall mean value of EO content and EO yield
lower leaf yield/plant range between 50.87 and 98.89 g tested over three locations and two years were 0.52%
was reported for 12 Oregano germplasms evaluated in and 45.67 kg. The EO content and EO yield ranged from
Argentina (Torres et al., 2012). A respective range of 0.37–0.79% and 23.09–69.81 kg, respectively. The
2
plant height, leaf yield/plant and leaf yield/m from 27.8 to highest values of these characters were obtained at
Kassahun et al., 569

Wondo Gent. The values on EO content and EO yield

were consistent under both testing years. Hence, it is the necessary data from all experimental fields during
location that affects the production of oregano in the experimentation time and also we want to acknowledge
country. In agreement with the present study, a Mr. Zerihun Jomba of laboratory technician who extracts
comparable value of EO content range from 0.36 to essential oil of the plant and collect all laboratory data.
0.52% was reported by Raduiene and Stankeviciene
(2005) for accessions of Lithuania oregano. Shiyab et al.
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