UTILIZATION OF EXOGENOUSLY SUPPLIED PRIMARY PRECURSORS FOR ESSENTIAL OIL SYNTHESIS IN CYMBOPOGON SPECIES

The relative efficiency of incorporation of the exogenously supplied p rimary precursors [2-C-14]acetate, [U-C-14]glucose and [U-C-14]sucrose into essential oil was determined in the immature leaves of three Cym bopogon species (C. martinii, C. winterianus and C. flexuosus). Acetat e was most efficiently incorporated into essential oil in C. winterian us and C flexuosus, whereas glucose was the best precursor in C. marti nii. The observations are consistent when expressed as radioactivity [ Bq] of essential oil per leaf, as percent incorporation or moles of pr ecursors utilized for essential oil synthesis. Thus, there is selectiv ity in the efficiency of precursor utilization for the oil synthesis i n Cymbopogon species.