The study, which evaluated 50 anise samples from various countries, aims to select the most profitable grains for cultivation and industrial use in sectors such as agri-food, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals. Anise (Pimpinella anisum), also known as matalahúva, is valued for its digestive, expectorant, and aromatic properties.
Despite its usefulness, anise is a minor crop in Spain, with no registered commercial varieties, which hinders quality standardization and limits its competitive development. To address this, scientists collected an international germplasm collection and planted it for two years at the IAS experimental farm in Córdoba and an organic farm in Valladolid.
“"If we reach the level of registering varieties, we can offer them to farmers for diversification, as a crop alternative to wheat and sunflower. We have verified that it adapts well, has potential, and there is a market."
The trials compared agronomic performance and essential oil production capacity under the same environmental conditions, highlighting five varieties that combine high seed yield with excellent oil quality and composition. These results have direct application in the agricultural sector, offering a profitable crop alternative.
The study, published in the journal Agronomy under the title 'Characterization of Pimpinella anisum Germplasm: Diversity Available for Agronomic Performance and Essential Oil Content and Composition', evaluated 50 anise genotypes from countries such as Egypt, Palestine, Greece, and Bulgaria. The research showed that most of these materials adapt well to cultivation in Spain, with significant variations in yield and essential oil content.
The next step is to initiate the process for registering these varieties in the Commercial Varieties Register, a complex procedure for minor crops. The ultimate goal is to transfer these varieties to seed companies or agricultural cooperatives to boost local anise and anise oil production, reducing reliance on imports and improving the value chain for farmers.
