Crithmum maritimum L. Volatile Compound's Diversity Through Tunisian Populations: Use of a Plant Organ-Based Statistical Approach for Chemotype Identification

This work aimed to investigate the variability of the chemical composition of the aromatic halophyte Crithmum maritimum L. essential oils according to the geographical origin and separated organs, using a statistical approach based on the multiple analysis of variance and the Principal Component Analyses. One hundred twenty samples were collected from three distinct bioclimatic regions (10 samples×3 provenances×4 organs). Hydrodistillation of separated organs (roots, stems, leaves and flowers)yielded 0.13 to 1.75 percent of the dry matter. Chemical investigation of the volatile compounds by Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry showed that C. maritimum essential oils were dominated by monoterpenes hydrocarbons, oxygenated monoterpenes, and phenylpropanoids varying, respectively, from 33.3 to 66.9, from 7.8 to 46.6 and from 4.5 to 57.2 percent according to organs and localities. Statistical analyses identified three different chemotypes depending on the geographic origin as follow: ?-Terpinene-Thymol methyl ether / Dillapiole / Thymol methyl ether-Dillapiole.