Genetic variation of volatiles and rosmarinic acid in populations of Salvia fruticosa mill growing in Crete

Using plant material collected from the field and subsequently cultivated in the glasshouse, the basis of variation in a number of chemical parameters observed in Salvia fruticosa has been examined. It was shown that clones from three populations collected from different parts of Crete and previously found to exhibit different essential oil yields and profiles maintained these differences during cultivation. They were found to differ also in morphology and habit, phenolic yield and composition and different nitrogen-utilizing capacity as estimated by nitrate reductase activity. Some clones had very high levels of rosmarinic acid. The population with the highest essential oil yield had the lowest phenolic content and vice versa, but within populations there were clones with high levels of both.