Artemisia arborescens L.: essential oil composition and effects of plant growth stage in some genotypes from Sicily

Essential oils from aerial parts of several Artemisia arborescens L. populations, collected in five different localities of Sicily were analyzed by GC-FID and GC-MS in order to study the chemical composition and its variability due to phenological stage. Forty-three compounds, accounting for more than 92% of the oil, were identified. Monoterpene fraction with the exception of Petru population was higher than the sesquiterpene fraction. beta-thujone (20.5-55.8 %), chamazulene (15.2-49.4%), camphor (1.3-10.7%) and germacrene D (2.3-3.4%) were the main compounds. Chemical composition was influenced by phenological stage, with an increase in the monoterpene fraction at flowering stage; in both stages, the main compounds were always the oxygenated monoterpene beta-thujone and the sesquiterpene hydrocarbon chamazulene.