Abstract:
The aim of this study was to test the quality (physicochemical and sensory odor properties)
and bioactivity (antimicrobial and antioxidant activities) of the essential oils (EO) obtained from
the most frequently cultivated lavender and lavandin varieties in Serbia, whose cultivation areas
were previously reserved for warmer climates, outside the agroecological region of Serbia. Seven
EO from true lavenders (L. angustifolia Mill. and cultivars: ‘Hidcote blue’, ‘Munstead’, ‘Primorska’),
Croatian indigenous lavandin cultivar (L. × intermedia ‘Budrovka’), lavandin ‘Grosso’ and one undetermined lavender sample (Lavandula sp.) showed compliance with standard requirements for
lavender EO composition (contents of linalool 23.9–30.2% and 28.9–36.9%, and of linalyl acetate
22.2–32.2% and 6.9–20.7% in true lavender and lavandin samples, respectively). All EO were characterized as pleasant, with a floral aroma as a prominent odor. Samples exhibited high antimicrobial
activities (3.5–14.2 µL mL−1 MIC and MBC values) against important Gram-positive (B. cereus and
L. monocytogenes) and Gram-negative bacteria (E. coli) and yeasts (C. albicans), and high antioxidant
capacity (IC50 values of 0.23–0.59 µg AAE mL−1 EO). This preliminary research on the quality of
lavender EOs reveals the potential of this species for the future of medicinal and aromatic plant
species production and further diversification of agriculture in the area.
