The project for “Conservation and characterization of oregano (Oreganum vulgare L.) wild populations in Europe” was completed by the ECPGR Working Group on Aromatic and Medicinal Plants.

Samples from 51 populations from 19 countries were analyzed by the Institute of Applied Botany, University of Veterinary Medicine, Wien, Austria.

Genetic structure analysis have sown a gradient of genetic differentiation from East to West but not from South to North. High essential oil contents were detected especially from Greece, Israel and Turkey and generally a high selection potential for maximizing essential oil content was shown to be available. Each population was assigned to a specific chemotype, based on its essential oil composition.

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