The Effect of Different Harvest Stages on Some Agronomical Characteristics of Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis L.)

Abstract

Lemon balm has been used for a long time as a pleasant odour medicinal plant. Nowadays, it is cultivated in Mediterranean region, central European and Asia. The study was carried out during 2002-03, 2003-04 and 2004-05 growing seasons under the ecological conditions of Diyarbakir province. The aim of the study was to determine of appropriate harvest time (pre flowering, during full flowering and past flowering) and its effect on some important yield characteristics of lemon balm including fresh, dry herb, dry leaf, essential oil content and essential oil yield. The results indicated highest yield in terms of fresh herbage, dry herbage, dry leaf, essential oil content and essential oil yield when harvesting was done at full flowering stage, and mean values of dry leaf yield and essential oil content of this stage determined as 4235 kg ha(-1) and 0.093%, respectively.