The Lavender Industry Mahmoud, SS Over 2000,000 L of lavender essential oil is produced worldwide annually Major producers: France, England and China Lavender oil is used in cosmetics, personal hygiene products, and alternative medicines Over 800 small scale farms exist in North America North American farms focus on: - Agri-tourism - Value added products - Specialty oils
Lavender essential oil is extracted by steam distillation. Mahmoud, SS Analytical scale steam distillation UBC Okanagan, Kelowna, BC Commercial scale steam distillation Provence, France
Chemical Composition of Essential Oils Mahmoud, SS Typical plant oils (for example sunflower oil) are made of Triacylglycerol (TAG)
Essential oil Production in Lavenders Mahmoud, SS Lavender EO is produced in oil glands or glandular trichomes. Oil Glands make up < 0.1% of tissue (> 1/ 1000) The gland cells represent an enriched source for expressed EO-related genes The cells can be mechanically isolated, and used for gene discovery Essential oil Secretory Cells Microscopy was done by Michael Wise PARC, Summerland
Nature and functions of essential oils Essential oils constituents are: - Small biochemical molecules - Scented - Present in oil glands Functions in Nature: - To repel pests, pathogens, herbivore - To attract pollinator and beneficial insects - To reduce the growth of competing plants
Overview of my Research Program 1. Define genes that control essential oil formation in lavenders - What genes / enzymes form essential oil constituents? - What genes control oil gland formation? - We have built the worlds largest genomics resource for lavenders 2. Improve essential oil quality and yield in lavender - Use of tissue culture 3. Enhance the lavender industry in the BC? - Authenticate BC lavender oils - Find additional applications for the oil
1. We have developed interesting lavender plants Methods: -Induce in vitro organogenesis -Treat the shoots with plant hormones to induce rooting -Transfer new plants to soil -Extract and analyse EO
Results of tissue culture work: - Over 600 plants were regenerated - Essential oil from these plants has been analyzed -Two lines of unique plants have been generated
Line 1 was derived from L. angustifolia parent. - EO profile - Flower morphology - Cold intolerant Lady Lady clone Compound (L. angustifolia) (L. angustifolia) β-pinene n.d. 2.16+/-0.01 myrcene 10.77+/- 0.05 6.43+/- 0.01 limonene 3.90+/- 0.03 1.32 +/- 0.01 1,8-cineole 5.68+/- 0.03 2.73 +/- 0.03 Z-β ocimene 7.73+/- 0.03 11.37+/- 0.05 E-β ocimene 7.24+/- 0.03 4.62+/- 0.00 camphor n.d. n.d. linalool 30.35+/- 0.40 47.8+/-0.26 linalyl acetate 7.37+/- 0.19 n.d. lavandulyl acetate 7.70+/- 0.14 n.d. lavandulol 2.51+/- 0.14 1.78+/-0.05 borneol 1.69+/- 0.09 1.58+/-0.00
Study: To determine whether lavender essential oil can control aphids and spider mites effectively Rationale: Certain plant essential oil can repel insects and other pests: Ticks: Rose, eucalyptus, European pennyroyal, lavender Mosquitoes: lemon balm (citronella), thyme, lavender Black flies: lavender, pennyroyal, cedar, lemon balm Head Lice: Tea tree, rosemary, lavender, eucalyptus Fleas: Orange oil
Insects repellent activity of lavender oils 1. Some lavender oils effectively repel the housefly 2. Can lavender oils be used as repellents in organic farming? - Activity against aphids - Activity against spider mite
Application of lavender oil to plants: Identify a suitable carrier to dilute the oil Determine non-toxic concentration Prepare lavender oil formulations Example of an injured leaf 48 hours post treatment Treat plants infested with aphids or spider mites Assess the results by counting live and dead insects 0.5% LEO; 48 hours post Treatment (in 5% carrier)
Bean leaf assay (for spider mite control) Mahmoud, SS Bell pepper assay (for control of aphids) Bean leaf infested with spider mite Dead aphids (red)24 hours post treatment
Results I: Mahmoud, SS Spider mite assay: Was used to test activity of Lavender oil against spider mites Method: Mite-infested bean leaf segments were treated with 0.1 0.5% lavender oil After 24 hours mites were counted Results: Lavender oil did not repel or kill spider mites
Results II: Mahmoud, SS Aphid repellent assay: Tested the ability of lavender oil to deter/kill aphids Method: Aphid-infested bell pepper plants were sprayed with Ess. Oil solution After 48 hours dead aphids were counted Results: 0.2 and 0.5 % lavender oil can kill 85% an 99% of aphids, respectively, after 24 hours of treatment