The Chemical Analysis of Wild Thyme Variability for the Enhanced Production of Bioactive Compounds and Agro-Ecosystem Sustainability in the Mountains of Pistoia (Italy)

Costanza Santini, Daniele Bonetti, Lorenzo Della Maggiora, Waed Tarraf, Felicia Menicucci, Francesca Ieri, Alfonso Crisci, Gabriele Cencetti, Andrea Ienco and Eleonora Palagano ()
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Costanza Santini: Institute of Biosciences and Bioresources, National Research Council (IBBR-CNR), Via Madonna del Piano 10, Sesto Fiorentino, 50019 Florence, Italy
Daniele Bonetti: Institute of Biosciences and Bioresources, National Research Council (IBBR-CNR), Via Madonna del Piano 10, Sesto Fiorentino, 50019 Florence, Italy
Lorenzo Della Maggiora: Institute of Biosciences and Bioresources, National Research Council (IBBR-CNR), Via Madonna del Piano 10, Sesto Fiorentino, 50019 Florence, Italy
Waed Tarraf: Institute of BioEconomy, National Research Council (IBE-CNR), Via Madonna del Piano 10, Sesto Fiorentino, 50019 Florence, Italy
Felicia Menicucci: Institute for Sustainable Plant Protection, National Research Council (IPSP-CNR), Via Madonna del Piano 10, Sesto Fiorentino, 50019 Florence, Italy
Francesca Ieri: Institute of Biosciences and Bioresources, National Research Council (IBBR-CNR), Via Madonna del Piano 10, Sesto Fiorentino, 50019 Florence, Italy
Alfonso Crisci: Institute of BioEconomy, National Research Council (IBE-CNR), Via Madonna del Piano 10, Sesto Fiorentino, 50019 Florence, Italy
Gabriele Cencetti: Institute of Biosciences and Bioresources, National Research Council (IBBR-CNR), Via Madonna del Piano 10, Sesto Fiorentino, 50019 Florence, Italy
Andrea Ienco: Institute for the Chemistry of Organometallic Compounds, National Research Council (ICCOM-CNR), Via Madonna del Piano 10, Sesto Fiorentino, 50019 Florence, Italy
Eleonora Palagano: Institute of Biosciences and Bioresources, National Research Council (IBBR-CNR), Via Madonna del Piano 10, Sesto Fiorentino, 50019 Florence, Italy

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 11, 1-15

Abstract: The Pistoia Mountains exhibit a great variety of flora, particularly rich in aromatic plants, such as juniper, mint, savory, helichrysum, and thyme. Thyme is especially notable for its essential oil, typically displaying high thymol and carvacrol content. While the chemotype of thyme determined by its specific terpene composition is genetically controlled, environmental factors, plant age, and seasonality can influence terpene production. This article investigates the morpho-chemical variability of wild thyme plants collected from two different regions of the Pistoia Mountains, identifying five distinct chemotypes. The gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) technique was used to characterize the chemical profiles and determine the seasonal variation in terpene production, identifying spring and summer as the balsamic period, the optimal time for essential oil collection. Furthermore, high-value thyme clones were preserved through in vitro micropropagation, ensuring chemotype stability. These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of wild thyme biodiversity and provide a foundation for practical applications, including the development of value-added products like herb-infused cheeses, plant and animal disease treatments, and integrated pest management strategies in agricultural systems.

Keywords: Thymus serpyllum group; chemotype; biodiversity; gas chromatography; mass spectrometry (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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