An open field experiment was carried out with five purple Perilla frutescens accessions (588P, GB, J3, JTD3, PS3) in 2014 and 2015. Morphological traits, production, total phenolic content (TPC), essential oil content (EOC) and composition as well as the antioxidant capacity (AOC) were investigated. Highest biomass was produced by JTD3 in both years. The antioxidant capacity and total phenolic content in the stems was lower than in the leaves in all accessions. Leaves of accession GB produced the highest AOC values (215.594 ± 1.437 in 2014 and 86.609 ± 3.602 mg AAE g-1 in 2015, respectively) while the strain 588P showed the lowest values (139.544 ± 1.934 in 2014 and 38.966 ± 4.569 mg AAE g-1 in 2015, respectively). The highest TPC values were measured by PS3 in 2014 (204.320 ± 1.822 mg GAE g-1) and GB in 2015 (136.450 ± mg GAE g-1). The 588P produced the highest essential oil content (1.432 ml 100 g-1 DM) while J3 had the lowest (0.144 ml 100 g-1 DM) in both years. Strong positive correlation was found between the density of glandular hairs and the essential oil content. Three accessions (588P, J3, JTD3) belong to the perillaldehyde chemotype while GB and PS3 to the dehydro elsholtzia ketone chemotype. All studied accessions can be cultivated in Hungary. For the biomass production the JTD3, while for the essential oil production the 588P can be recommended.
Keywords: Antioxidant; Lamiaceae; Perilla frutescens; cultivation; intraspecific variability.