EFFECT OF DIFFERENT HARVEST TIMES ON SOME YIELD AND ESSENTIAL OIL CHARACTERISTICS IN Origanum onites L.

The purpose of this study was to the effects of different harvest times on some yield and quality characteristics. Origanum onites L. cultivar "Ceylan-2002" was used as plant material. Field trial was conducted in 2014 and 2015 at Bornova/Izmir. Oregano plants were harvested starting on 15 of May (harvest time:1), 31 of May (harvest time:2), 16 of June (harvest time:3), 2 of July (harvest time:4), 18 of July (harvest time:5), 3 of August (harvest time:6), 19 of August (harvest time:7) and 4 of September (harvest time:8) and fresh herbage yield, drug herbage yield, drug leaf yield, essential oil content and essential oil yield in each of harvest time were determined. The result from the combined variance analysis over two years for each characteristic indicated that variation among means for harvest time was significant (p≤0.01) while differences between two years were not significant for all characteristics. The results showed that the highest drug herbage yield, drug leaf yield and essential oil yield were obtained at the 4th (15 of June) harvest time. It was concluded that the most suitable harvest time in coastal zone of Aegean region is 4th (2 of July) harvest time.