Volatile needle extractives of Anatolian black pine varieties: P-nigra subsp pallasiana var. pallasiana and var. pyramidata

Abstract

The volatile extracts from needles of two varieties of Anatolian black pine, Pinus nigra subsp. pallasiana var. pallasiana and pyramidata were investigated by GC-MS. Generally, the composition of extracts was similar but the proportion of some compounds differed. The increased proportion of beta-pinene is distinct in the variety pallasiana, whereas higher percentages of germacrene-d and cadinene isomers were found in pyramidata. Higher levels of monoterpenes and their derivatives exist in variety pallasiana than sesquiterpenes and the opposite is true for the variety pyramidata. Diterpenes occur at about 1% of extracts, although epimanool was detected in a couple of trees of pallasiana at higher levels. Furthermore, the comparison of the results with those in the literature suggests that Anatolian black pine is related to European counterparts grown in Italy, Alps and Greece. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.