ABSTRACT
Growth and yield characterization of lavender plants established in Chilean central region

Ximena López C.1, Cecilia Bagisnky G. y Gloria Portilla S.
 

A lavender (Lavandula angustifolia Mili, Cultivar Mont Blanc) cultivation has been established in four central localities of Chile.
The characteristics evaluated were the growth, the cover area, the quantity of inflorescences per plant, the morphological characteristics of florets and the yield of the crop over three seasons. Also the content and composition of the essential oil were determined.
The assays performed show that all the localities meet the requirements of lavender cultivation, but the bestable are Ovalle and San Agustín de Aurora (IV and VII region of the country). The essential oils meet the international standard specifications of lavender oils.

Keywords: Lavandula angustífolia, lavender.
1 Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestales, Universidad de Chile, Casilla 653, Santiago, Chile.