ABSTRACT
The annual form of caraway (Carum carvi L.) is grown commercially in temperate zones (Mediterranean, Africa, S. America and Asia), while the biennial form is grown mainly in the northern parts of the world (Europe and America). As the seed is the only part of the plant used, the quality of the biennial form is considered to be superior to the annual one, according to size, aroma, colour etc. (Bouwmeester 1991). The geographic distribution and quality differences encourage in the last years the development of an annual form suitable to grow in the northern part of the world (Bouwmeester and Kuijpers 1993, Kallio et al. 1994), as well as the selection of an annual form out of the biennial types suitable to grow in the temperate zones (Nordestgaard 1986). As caraway has become very important, not only for traditional purposes, but as a source for carvone, used commercially as a sprouting inhibitor for potatoes, many researches are done in order to increase the level of carvone (Bouwmeester et al. 1995a, Kallio et al. 1994, Mheen 1994, Toxopeus and Lubberts 1994, Toxopeus et al. 1995), including enantiomers of carvone appearing in different varieties (Bouwmeester et al. 1995a) and practical agrotechnological methods, as well as harvest and postharvest methods (Anonymous 1988, Hecht et al. 1992, Singh et al. 1992, Wander and Zwanepol 1994).
