Krymskaya Roza – the Mine of Essential Oil Crops

On June 13, during the course of the press tour to the Republic of Crimea organized in Year of Science and Technology, the Scientific Russia portal visited the Selection and Seed Farming Center for Essential Oil Crops (the Agricultural Research Institute of Crimea) in the settlement of Krymskaya Roza, Belogorsky District.

The institute conducts a broad range of scientific research on essential oil crops of the Republic of Crimea. It has unique collections of essential oil plants, spices and herbs, and medicinal plants, which are not to be found elsewhere in Russia. The plants shown on the demonstration site are widely used in food industry, cosmetics and perfumery sector, and medicine.

According to Vladimir Stepanovich Pashtetsky, Director of the Agricultural Research Institute of Crimea, the institute has high potential and a complete cycle of comprehensive research in the essential oil sector. “We are the only institute that has over 1,100 species and varieties of essential oil plants. Nearly all of those are medicinal. We value the health of Crimeans and visitors to the peninsula. Using medicinal plants to prevent disease is the basis of our health in future. The production of raw material has increased considerably. Vineyards and gardens gain 1,000-1,500 trees every year, lavender plantations increasing by 20-30 hectares, rose plantations – by 1 or 2 hectares. We have unique essential oil plants, which means we’ll revive an industry that is effective and economically efficient today,” Vladimir Pashtetsky said.

According to Viktor Anatolievich Zolotilov, research officer at the Department of Essential Oil and Medicinal Crops at the Selection and Seed Farming Center for Essential Oil Crops, the main goal is to produce rose oil through thorough processing. “There are over 25,000 varieties of roses used to produce essential oil. The collection nursery provides material for selection. We are maintaining the health of the collection, and studying it. The product of flower processing is rose essential oil. There are 5 selected varieties in our collection. They have been put on the state register of selection achievements, approved for the Russian Federation. The average yield of rose flowers is 35 to 54 metric centners per hectare. The essential oil yield is 4, 5 or 5.5 kg per hectare,” Viktor Zolotilov revealed.

Oleg Boleslavovich Skipor, Head of the Department of Essential Oil and Medicinal Crops has demonstrated the process of rose picking for further processing. “Oil-bearing roses are picked in the morning hours for the petals to keep as much essential oil as possible. The roses are picked by hand only. We put flowers in special bags and send them to the factory for processing. The primary task is to produce as much essential oil as possible. On average, each hectare yields 5 kg over the summer,” Oleg Skipor showed.

Ivan Vitalievich Sobolevsky, Candidate of Engineering, Docent, Head of the Department for Mechanization and Production of New Agricultural Equipment, gave details on operation of a mobile batch system for processing essential-oil and medicinal raw materials. “Our department develops new mechanisms and equipment for mechanization of land cultivation, crop tending, and processing in the crop and essential oil sectors. This station is installed on a mobile platform so it can be moved to any small farm,” Ivan Sobolevsky remarked.Р

Essential oil crops are a true well of useful substances that will resolve a number of issues in medicine and veterinary medicine, and facilitate the production of clean products, making for health and longevity of the population in Crimea and elsewhere. The climax of the press tour of the Republic of Crimea was the Crimean Fashion Week – “The catwalk of beauty and science”, which took place in the blooming sage, lavender and rose fields.

This material was prepared with the support from the Ministry of Science and Higher Education and the Russian Academy of Sciences.