Volatile oil and fatty acids components of six various populations of wild Bunium persicum Boiss. (Bam and Zirkuh/Iran) and cultivated Cuminum cyminum L. (Rayen/ Iran; Cukurcak, Taskopru and Asagialicomak/Turkey) species were investigated. The volatile oil content of Bam and Zirkuh populations were 3.9 and 4.7 %, respectively. The analysis of volatile oils by the GC/FID-MSD showed that γ-terpinene (33.62-39.62 %), cuminal (17.9-19.3 %), o-cymene (5.3-11.1 %), benzenemethanol, α-methyl- (7.4-9.5 %), 1-phenyl-1-butanol (6.4-8.4 %) and limonene (6.4-8.6 %) were the major components of B. persicum populations. Rayen, Cukurcak, Taskopru and Asagialicomak populations of C. cyminum had 2.6, 2.2, 2.0 and 2.5 % of volatile oil, respectively. Cuminal (22.8- 37.6 %), benzenemethanol, α-methyl- (5.3-22.6 %), γ-terpinene (16.7-19.4 %), β-pinene (11.2-11.9 %) and 1-phenyl-1-butanol (5.4-12.5 %) were identified as the main components of C. cyminum. Fatty acids were detected by the GC/FID. In total, 15 fatty acids were characterised in B. persicum populations from Iran. Petroselinic acid (26.3-52.6 %), lauric acid (16.2-37.0 %) and linoleic acid (18.3-33.0 %) were the predominant fatty acids identified in Iranian populations. C. cyminum populations were rich in the same fatty acids but, the order was: petroselinic acid (47.5-55.5 %), linoleic acid (22.5-25.4 %) and lauric acid (13.4-24.2 %). Monounsaturated fatty acids (27.4-56.2 %) were the major subgroup. Overall, B. persicum populations from Iran and C. cyminum from Turkey were almost similar in fatty acids profile although they had wide diversity in the volatile oils compositional profile.
