Pop, M.R., Sand, C., Bobiţ, D., Antofie, M.M., Barbu, H., Pavel, P.B., Muntean, L., Savatti, M. - Studies Concerning The Production Of Volatile Oil, Rhizomes And Roots, To Different Genotypes Of Valeriana officinalis L. 332 STUDIES CONCERNING THE PRODUCTION OF VOLATILE OIL, RHIZOMES AND ROOTS, TO DIFFERENT GENOTYPES OF Valeriana officinalis L. Mihai Radu POP * , Camelia SAND * , Dana BOBIŢ ** , Maria-Mihaela ANTOFIE * , Horea BARBU * , Petronela Bianca PAVEL * , Leon MUNTEAN *** , Mircea SAVATTI *** * “Lucian Blaga” University of Sibiu, Faculty of Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, Food Industry and Environmental Protection, Sibiu, Romania ** National Institute of Research and Development for Potato and Sugar Beet Brasov, Braşov, Romania *** University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, Cluj-Napoca, Romania Corresponding author: Mihai Radu Pop, “Lucian Blaga” University of Sibiu, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, Food Industry and Environmental Protection, 5-7 Ion Ratiu, 550371 Sibiu, Romania, phone: 0040269234111, fax: 0040269234111, e-mail: mihaipop76@yahoo.com Abstract. Valeriana officinalis L. is considered to pertain to European species, with great ecologic plasticity, which allows its adaptation to climate conditions characteristics to plain areas and also to mountain areas up to an altitude of 2400 meters. The species is a well-known curative plant, with a long history and multiple uses. Essential oils deriving from this species revealed the interest of researchers in food industry, cosmetics and officinal industry, furthermore being used as additives too. The raw material from which essential oils are being extracted is represented mainly by rhizomes and roots. This study has the purpose to emphasize the differences of essential oils production registered based upon the genotypes diversity. Thus, 11 experimental variants have been used, with biologic material of different origin, from Romania, Poland, Germany and Russia; they have been measured in relation to their production of rhizomes, roots and volatile oil, in the ecological conditions of Brasov, Romania. The results proved the superiority of the variants was used Romanian variety M-100, but have also revealed a negative correlation between capacity and essential oil biosynthesis. Keywords: Valeriana officinalis L., genotypes, production of roots, analysis of variety INTRODUCTION The therapeutic effect of Valeriana officinalis L. species are due to the complexity of chemical compounds biosynthesized by these plants which act for medicinal purposes as an antispasmodic in epilepsy, asthma, flushes [4]. It is a cerebral stimulant; it acts also as an analgesic and in the healing of wounds, ulcers and bruises [9]. Such compounds are also recommended as antidiabetic and installing a good response in reducing polymers [19]. Last studies regarding Valerian’s products are concerned upon its use as a sedative [3]. Products from Valerian roots are often used for treating states of nervous irritation caused by over excitement and anxiety disorder [16]. Also, due to its essential oils antimicrobial and antioxidant effects, there is a tendency to use it as natural preservatives, replacing the synthetic ones [14, 22]. Regarding the plant biology, this species is perennial and has the vigorous underground rhizomes, short, cylindrical or stolonifera, yellowish-brown, provided with numerous cylindrical roots [12]. Number of roots may reach 60-70, 20-25 cm in length and a diameter of 2-4 mm. A high-quality extract is derived from the thick roots [4]. The core parts of the white root are bitter-sour taste. The stem is erect, simple, short-hairy in the lower, cylindrical, fistula, hollow high up to 150-200 cm. Leaves are odd-pinnate-sects and flowers are red- lilac to white, small, grouped corimbiforme raceme. It is a proterandric plant regarding anthesis and pollination is cross-fertilized [17]. From roots essential oils are beeing extracted, whose composition has been intensively studied lately [18]. Valerian essential oils are complex mixtures of natural compounds, mostly composed from volatile constituents of this oil like lipids, terpenoids, ketones, phenols and oxygenated derivatives with multiple biological activities such as antimicrobial, insecticidal and antioxidant [5, 6, 21]. Typical biochemical constituents of this oils are Valerie and Isovaleric acid, monoterpenes (α-pinene, α-fenchene, camphene) and monoterpene esters (bornyl-acetate, acetate-myrtenyl, isovaleriate-myrtenyl) [10]. There have also been identified sesquiterpenes, alkaloids, caffeic acid derivatives, valepotriates, flavinoids, lignans and amino acid [7]. As this species is a well vegetating plant in areas with annual rainfall of 650 mm [4] and therefore it is considered appropriate to carry out comparative study culture of Valeriana officinalis L. in the Braşov area (Romania), where such ecological and climatic conditions are fulfilled [17]. Furthermore, this specie showed an increased sensitivity to drought in the first year of vegetation, and also during the first part of vegetation of annual cycle. Rhizome and root production is largely influenced by the origin of biological material and its degree of adaptation to climate conditions which are cultivated [15]. For this reason this study is to emphasize the achievements attained in several varieties, clones or varieties of Valeriana officinalis L. brought from various parts of Europe and cultivated into the environmental conditions of Braşov. MATERIALS AND METHODS Biological material was provided by National Institute of Research and Development for Potato and Sugar Beet - Laboratory of Medicinal Plants, Braşov. Proposed for addressing the objectives of the present study are the use of 11 genotypes which were grouped as follows: 1. approved varieties group - which includes three varieties of Valeriana officinalis, created from the process of selection and improvement, with foreign or domestic origin as follows: variety MAGURELE 100 (M-100) - created in the Laboratory of Medicinal Plant