Product Description and Distinctive Features:

Tefenni Fennel is a dried fennel fruit obtained from the Foeniculum vulgare type fennel. Its round-shaped stems can grow up to 1.5 meters. It has threadlike multi-part leaves on the trunk, ranging in color from dark green to blue green. The leaves are petiolate in the lower parts of the plant and attached to the trunk in the upper parts. Its small yellow flowers are found together in the form of compound umbrellas. There are dozens of umbrellas on a plant and hundreds of flowers in each umbrella. Its fruits are on average 0.75 mm long and 0.3 mm wide and are greenish gray in color. Fennel has been produced in Tefenni district since 1975. Fennel, which grows in warm and temperate climate regions, in rich humus, sandy, sandy-loam soils, has adapted to the climate and soil structure of Tefenni district. Tefenni Fennel has high yield, oil content and trans-anethole content. Tefenni plain has a karst structure and its soil structure is 84% ​​sandy-clayey, organic matter ratio is 1.2%, slightly alkaline (pH: 8.1), medium calcareous (8.7%), very low salt content, medium phosphorus, potassium content, rich in magnesium, iron, manganese, zinc and copper. On the other hand, irrigation water used in fennel cultivation is 1st class in terms of chlorine sulfate and boron, 2nd class in terms of salt content, and has a basic structure with medium and low sodium content in terms of bicarbonate.

The volatile oil ratio in the fruits of Tefenni Fennel, which is harvested and dried, is around 2-2.5%. The main component, trans-anethole ratio, among 7 volatile oil compounds determined by GC-MS analysis varies between 88.6-92.1%. Other components; ɑ-pinene (%0.33-0.47), fenchone (%0.93-1.83), limonene (%2.05-3.88), pallylanisole (%3.73-4.17), 1.8-cineole (%0.32-0.38) and cis-ocimene (%0.56-0.70).

The lime-rich, humus, sandy-loam soil structure of Tefenni district, where Tefenni Fennel is produced, contributes to the high trans-anethole ratio of fennel.

Production Method:

Planting: The two main production materials of Tefenni Fennel are its seeds and vegetative shoots called claws. Production is higher with seeds. 1000 seeds are 3.8-8.7 grams. Planting is done with a drill at a depth of 2-3 cm and 45-60 cm between rows so that 1-1.5 kg of seed falls per decare. Planting time is early spring and spring months.

Irrigation: Irrigation should be done during the periods when the plant needs irrigation. Especially at the beginning of flowering and fruiting period, irrigation is suitable 1-4 times with sprinkler or drip method.

Fertilization: Tefenni Fennel field is fertilized at a rate of 4 kg nitrogen and 6 kg P2O5 per decare.

Weed Control: Hoeing is done manually to combat the increasing weed density with irrigation.

Diseases and Pests: The most important fungal disease in Tefenni Fennel is Cercosporidium punctum and the most important pest is Othiorrhynchus ligustici. The disease, which shows symptoms as burns in plant tissues, can cause an epidemic in a short time in high temperatures and humidity. A combined organic control program is applied against these diseases and pests.

Harvesting and Threshing: Tefenni Fennel, like other members of the parsley family, shows a heterogeneous ripening. The fruits are harvested by mowing with a machine or by uprooting by hand when they start to brown (in August-September). The harvested plants are dried in a well-ventilated dry environment or in the field until they reach a constant weight (until the moisture content is fixed). After drying, they are threshed by beating or by putting them in the combine harvester mouth. The moisture content of the harvested and dried products should be at most 12%.

Packaging: The fruits of Tefenni Fennel, which are dried by threshing, should be stored in a cool and dry place until they are marketed. Afterwards, they are placed in dry cloth bags or plastic packages and offered to the market.