How Much do the Environmental Conditions Interfere with the Essential Oils of Eugenia spp. L. (Myrtaceae)?

Abstract

Eugenia is the largest neotropical genus in the Myrtaceae family. The genus has a wide geographical distribution, occurring from Mexico to Argentina. Eugenia species are rich in essential oils. Essential oils have applications in perfumery, cosmetics, food, pesticides and medicines. Several factors can influence the chemical composition and yield of essential oils, such as extraction technique, season of the year, genetic variations and environmental conditions. The understanding of how much each of these factors interferes in the formation of essential oils can contribute both to the development of more efficient production processes and to the ecological knowledge of the species of the genus. This study aimed to assess the influence of environmental variables on the chemical composition of essential oils from Eugenia species. The method used was to carry out chemometrics analyzes (regression analysis, factor analysis and multivariate analysis of variance) to explain the influence of environmental factors on the chemical composition of essential oils. The estimated regression model was significant (p-value < 0.05). Environmental variables analyzed significantly influenced and account for 11.5% of the variation observed in the chemical composition of essential oils. Phytochemical pattern of essential oil composition was also significantly different among Eugenia species.