Genotype x environment interaction of essential oil by Additive Main effects and Multiplicative Interaction (AMMI) model and metabolomics based profiling of volatile constituents in turmeric (Curcuma longa L.)

Turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) is valued for its secondary metabolites. The volatile compounds of essential oil play a major role for unique flavor in turmeric. As phyto constituents tend to be influenced by environment, the present study was taken up to analyze the interaction of genotype and environment on essential oils and to understand the distribution of its constituents among 15 turmeric genotypes, representing from major turmeric growing areas. Planting was taken up following Randomized Block Design (RBD) at three different locations of India i.e., ICAR-IISR (ICAR-Indian Institute of Spices Research), Regional Station, Appangala, Karnataka; Experimental Farm, ICAR-IISR, Kozhikode, Kerala, and farmers field, Perur, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. High essential oil content was recorded in Suvarna, SLP 389/1, Varna and Megha Turmeric 1. The genotype, Megha Turmeric 1 was found to be stable with high mean value for essential oil. Appangala was the favorable environment for high essential oil based on AMMI model. By Gas Chromatography—Mass Spectrometry (GC–MS) analysis, 16 volatile compounds were identified, among which, ar-turmerone & α-turmerone (32.63%), curlone (13.86%) and zingiberene (10%) were significant with a high mean area percentage. Acc. 849 and Narendra Haldi 98 genotypes which has unique flavour when compared to other genotypes were rich in major and minor compounds viz. zingiberene, β-sesquiphellandrene, 1,8-cineole and α-humelene. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) of each constituent revealed that the first three PCs together accounted for 80.5% of total phenotypic variation among the genotypes. The genotypes stable for essential oil and with different compositions of flavor constituents can be a chemotype and used for specific industrial requirement.