Evaluation of accessions of Achillea erba-rotta subsp. moschata (Asteraceae) for domestication

Achillea erba-rotta subsp. moschata is currently used as an aromatic plant to produce liquors, primarily in the Alpine area. It is harvested exclusively from the wild, as no cultivated varieties or cultivations exist. In the present study, the main agronomic traits and the chemical characterization of seven cultivated accessions of the species are reported. Two accessions resulted in higher yields of dry flowering tops, ranging from 47.5 to 48.6 g·m −2 . The main constituents of volatile oil were camphor (22.82%), cis- thujone (17.27%), 1,8-cineole (9.83%), and trans- thujone (7.04%). On average, their quantities varied and were different amongst the investigated accessions, one of which was characterized by the highest content of total thujones. Eighteen phenolic compounds were quantified, with phenolic acids representing the most abundant group, showing a mean content of 54.33 mg·g⁻ 1 ; 3,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid and 5-caffeoylquinic acid were present in the highest concentrations. The flavonoids, totaling 19.15 mg·g-1, were dominated by apigenin-7-O-glucoside and syringetin hexoside. Using multivariate analysis, the investigated accessions were grouped into three clusters according to their agronomic and qualitative features. Three of them demonstrated higher yields, lower thujone content and good phenolic composition, rendering them the most suitable candidates for potential domestication and breeding programs.