Chamomile in Republic of Serbia

Abstract

As one of the most common medicinal plants, chamomile is grown on approximately 20,000 ha in the world and on 350 -400 ha in Serbia. Good yields can be expected if the plant is grown up to 500 m altitude. The plant is adapted to various soils; it has modest nitrogen demands and tolerates drought and salinity. The usual yields are: 500-1,000 kg/ha of dry flower heads, 150 kg/ha of seed and up to 4.5-5 kg/ha of essential oil. Drug (Chamomillae flos) has moisture below 12%, appropriate physico-chemical and microbiological properties, referred low amount of heavy metals and at least 4 ml/kg of essential oil. The yield of flower heads and the essential oil quantity and quality depend on various environmental factors, as well as on the genetic background. There is more than forty chamomile cultivars realized in the world; three of them originate from the Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops in Novi Sad (Banatska, Tip 29 and Tetraploidna). Banatska and Tetraploidna are widely grown. The cultivars are characterized by high yield potential and appropriate essential oil content.

Kao jedna od najzastupljenijih lekovitih biljaka, kamilica se u svetu gaji na oko 20000 ha, dok se površine u Srbiji procenjuju na 350-400 ha. Najbolje uspeva na nadmorskim visinama do 500 m. Adaptirana je na različite zemljišne uslove, ima skromne potrebe za azotom, toleriše sušu i zaslanjena zemljišta. Uobičajeni prinos suvih cvetnih glavica je 500-1000 kg/ha, semena 150 kg/ha, a etarskog ulja do 4,5-5 kg/ha. Droga (Chamomillae flos) ima vlagu ispod 12%, odgovarajuće fizičko-hemijske i mikrobiološke osobine, propisano nizak sadržaj teških metala i najmanje 4 ml/kg etarskog ulja. Prinos cvetnih glavica, sadržaj i sastav etarskog ulja zavise od brojnih faktora sredine, ali i od genetske konstitucije materijala. U svetu je oplemenjeno četrdesetak sorti, od čega tri u Institutu za ratarstvo i povrtarstvo (Banatska, Tip 29 i Tetraploidna). U proizvodnji su zastupljene Banatska i Tetraploidna. Odlikuju se visokim potencijalom za prinos i odgovarajućim sadržajem etarskog ulja.