Lovage 445
the application of Maloran (chlorbromurion) before sowing (2.5–3.0 kg/ha). In the
spring, Merkazin (prometrin) can be used before sowing in amounts of 4-5 kg/ha.
Maloran is also used at 8–10 kg/ha on lovage plantations in their second or later
years, before sprouting in the early spring (Hornok, 1992).
26.3.6 Harvesting and handling
Lovage can survive for 6–8 years, however, in practice is only maintained in production
for 3–4 years because later than that the stem and leaf development diminishes and
roots become hollowed and rotten (Hornok, 1992). The plant has a rosette form in the
first year. The stem emerges in the second and later years. Cutting leaves from the base
of one-year-old plants in the autumn, and just before the frosts, strengthens the roots.
According to Szebeni-Galambosi et al. (1992), the fresh leaf yield depends on the
dryness of the summer and pest damage which could be 0.5 and 3.9 kg/m^2 for the first
and second year, respectively. The aerial parts of lovage (leaves and stems) can be
harvested a few times per season, especially in the second and later years. It is also
reported that the highest yield of total fresh leaf is obtained during flower stalk
emergence. The plant height and fresh leaf yield can be varied with an increased
number of harvests. According to Galambosi and Szebeni-Galambosi (1992), the
plants that were harvested once or twice during the vegetative growth period produced
a higher fresh leaf yield than plants harvested only at the end of growing season, but
this was due to the higher moisture content (about 90%) of aerial parts harvested
during the growth cycle. The average yield of aerial parts of lovage is 4–6 t/ha, from
which 2–4 kg of essential oil can be isolated (Hornok, 1992).
Harvesting time can also affect essential oil yield and composition of aerial parts
of lovage. In the study by Bylaite et al. (1998), the highest amount of essential oil
(2.7%) based on dry weight was in the middle of July, when seeds were formed. The
essential oil yield of 1.53% was determined in the flowers, which were harvested at
the end of flowering in July, whereas the highest concentration of essential oil in
leaves and stems were 1.35 and 1.16%, which were harvested on June 9 (growing
phase) and June 16 (formation of buds), respectively.
One of the major components of essential oils in lovage is a-Terpinyl acetate with
fresh bergamot-lavender odor (Bauer et al., 1990). The highest content of a-terpinyl
acetate (70%) has been detected from the essential oil of leaves collected during a
first harvesting on May 15. The percentage of this compound in the leaves and stems
was decreased during the flowering period of the plants. In the flowers, it constituted
only 16.27% (end of flowering), but the lowest amount of a-terpinyl acetate (4.56%)
was determined in the seeds (July 19) (Bylaite et al., 1998).
Harvesting of lovage seeds depends on the market demand and kind of usage. The
average lovage seed yield is 0.4–0.6 t/ha, which gives 3–6 kg of seed essential oil
(Hornok, 1992). The essential oil content and composition of seeds can also change
during maturation. Immature seeds contain the highest essential oil content (1.5%)
however it decreases in subsequent harvestings, i.e., green mature seed (1.0%) and
ripened seed (0.6%), respectively. b-phellandrene, as one of the principal compounds
of lovage oil, increased significantly after seed formation and constituted 62.4%,
60.5% and 56.4% of green mature, immature and ripened seed oils, respectively.
The roots of lovage can be harvested in the autumn. The roots are ploughed out
after cutting the foliage. On a large scale, the roots can be harvested with rotating
forked potato-harvesting machines (Omidbaigi, 2000). Related reports revealed that