Caraway fruits contain 1-6% of essential oils consisting of about 30 compounds, from which carvone and limonene account form the main portion, about 95%. To evaluate the quality of various caraway cultivars, the amounts of essential oils and the carvone/limonene ratio were measured. The most common method of essential oil evaluation is steam distillation in accordance with Standard ČSN 58 0110, but an alternative method -supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) -was also investigated in this paper. Ground caraway fruits were extracted under different SFE conditions (pressure, temperature, use of modifiers). Released compounds (carvone and limonene) were quantified by GC.

Dependently on planting conditions caraway fruits contain 1-9% of essential oils consisting of about 30 compounds. Carvone and limonene account for the main portion, about 95%. To evaluate the quality of various registered caraway (Carum carvi L.) cultivars (Kepron, Prochan and Rekord) planted during 1998-2000, regarding the effect of sample grinding and preparation, plant treatment and time of harvest, the amounts of essential oil and the carvone/limonene ratio were determined. Both whole and ground caraway seeds were extracted. As obvious from the results, SFE is not suitable for the determination of essential oils in whole seeds since the results are lower in comparison with those of ground caraway. The way of grinding was also examined. Of the three mills used, a splintery mill VIPO seemed to be the most suitable. Further, the amount of essential oil was studied in caraway gathered at the beginning of maturation (sample A) and at full ripeness (sample B) of caraway seeds. It was found that the samples gathered at full ripeness (samples B) had more essential oil. It was also concluded that the use of the regulator Roundup Bioaktiv during caraway maturation to unite the ripening of achenes in the main umbel and the first-order umbels, and the use of fungicides (Alert S and Prelude 10) affected positively the amount of essential oil in caraway. Possibilities of SFE application for the essential oil determination in small samples gathered during breeding were investigated. The results were used as a one of the criteria during breeding. Classical way of the essential oil determination does not allow this option. An alternative method for the isolation and determination of essential oils -supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) -was investigated in this study.

Total content and composition of essential oils in caraway seed (Carum carvi L.) from a selection of caraway varieties grown in different production areas were determined after supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) and steam distillation. Different procedures of sample pretreatment (homogenization) and methods of isolation were compared from the point of view of efficiency, reproducibility and accuracy. The effect of storage period was also examined.

The aim of this study was to evaluate properties of hop cones from differently old hop yards in the varieties grown in Tršice hop-growing region. The following varieties were assessed: Saaz semi-early red bine hop -traditional form, Saaz semi-early red bine hop -recovered form ozdravená, and the varieties Premiant and Sládek. Hop cones were collected during harvest in 2009 and 2010. Cones sampling was performed according to the general sampling principles. Contents of foreign and hop admixtures were determined in an average sample pursuant to the ČSN 462520 -4 and 5. In addition, essential oil content in hop cones was assessed using water steam distillation after the method described by Krofta. This method was modified to our requirements and a distillation apparatus for the determination of essential oils in plant drugs according to Český lékopis 2009/List of medical products 2009 was used. The varieties were assessed individually regarding a different age of hop yards. In addition, yield of hop cones was evaluated.Results show differences in yields, contents of hop admixtures and essential oil. Yield of the variety Saaz semi-early red bine hoptraditional form was higher in both differently old hop yards in 2010. Content of admixtures was higher in 2009 compared to 2010. Essential oil content in both years was lower in older hop yards. In the variety Saaz semi-early red bine hop -recovered form, the highest yields were in the 15-year-old hop yard and the lowest in the youngest (9-year-old) hop yard in 2009 and 2010. The lowest admixture contents in 2009 were detected in samples from the youngest hop yards (9 and 10 year-old) and the highest values in samples from the older hop yards (12 to 17 year-old). This trend was similar in 2010. Clear tendency to decline in essential oil content depending on the hop yard age was recorded. The variety Sládek provided the lowest yield in the younger hop yards and higher in the older ones. Admixture content in 2009 declined depending on the age of a hop yard, with the exception of a seven-year-old hop yard. On the contrary, in 2010 admixture content increased in dependence on age, it was lower only in an eight-year-old hop yard. In both years essential oil content was the highest in the youngest hop yard and then it declined depending on the hop yard age.

The incidence of fungi on caraway (Carum carvi L.), fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.), coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.) and anise (Pimpinella anisum L.) was observed on several localities in the Czech Republic. Incidence of 26 parasitic and saprophytic fungi were found on fennel, 35 species on coriander, 21 species on anise and 34 species on caraway. Small plot trials of spices were evaluated during the whole growing season. The fungicides in caraway were applied in different growth stages. The test results showed high effectiveness of autumn and early spring applications on the most dangerous pathogen of caraway – Mycocentrospora acerina. Three fungicides were tested in fennel field trials showing sufficient force against pathogenic fungus Cercosporidium punctum. The complex of root fungi causes the serious damage of coriander. Foliar application of fungicides did not present adequate effect. Four growth regulators were tested, but all of them increased incidence of fungi Fusarium sp. and Alternaria alternata.