Xanthostemon plant essential oils as a valuable renewable resource for medical, agrochemical and healthcare applications. (Old ID 26985)

Principal Investigator

The genus Xanthostemon consists of about fifty plant species and is endemic to Australia, Papua New Guinea, Indonesia and New Caledonia. Australian essential oils are known to contain β-triketones, which possess broad antimicrobial and insecticidal activities. In contrast, the chemical composition of essential oils from New Caledonian and Papua New Guinean species are unknown. This project will close this gap by harvesting and characterizing essential oils in three tropical countries, identifying and modifying β-triketone constituents and testing these for insecticidal and antibacterial properties. The results will enable local essential oil producers to diversify and add value to their product portfolios.

01 Jul 2021 - 31 Jan 2024

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