This is a modern handbook-book that serves as a practical guide with the necessary theoretical and technical knowledge regarding the holistic approach and utilization of Medicinal Aromatic Plants (MAP) and Essential Oils (EO). In the 1st Section, data from domestic and International Markets and Productions is recorded, along with general guidelines for cultivation and their utilization methods, focusing particularly on their specialized harvesting, various post-harvest processing methods such as cutting, washing, leaf stripping, segmenting, sorting, grading, etc. Additionally, contemporary expertise for various drying methods is presented, as well as specialized dryers for these, while information is provided regarding the specific production and distribution of Fresh MAP.

In the 2nd Section, details are given about EO, their characteristics and chemical composition, presenting further all the theoretical background and the necessary know-how for distillation, the types of distillation units, and the detailed methods of collection-production of EO from various plant materials, as well as the establishment of distillation Units. Simultaneously, detailed data for various extraction methods and types of aromatic extracts are provided, along with information on trends in international markets. Special mention is made of the Analytical Techniques applied for the determination-evaluation of EO quality. Furthermore, interesting details regarding the uses of EO in the evolving sectors of their utilization, particularly in Food, Aromatherapy, and Perfumery, are presented in separate Chapters.

In the 3rd Section, particularly detailed production information of fourteen selected Medicinal Aromatic plants and their varieties is described—species of great interest for our country, and also of high commercial value and demand in International Markets. Specifically, data regarding their production, harvesting, processing, transformation, essential oil production, and information regarding their marketing is provided.

The authors hope that this book will serve as a guide for continuous and timely information for anyone wishing to acquire knowledge and information on the subject of Medicinal Aromatic Plants. Specifically, it is aimed at undergraduate and graduate students, as well as professional Agronomists, Technologists, and mainly small/medium Producers of Medicinal Aromatic plants or groups of MAP producers, pharmacists, biologists, etc., depending on their needs and questions they seek to resolve, at all stages of production and management of MAP and EO. The book is structured into independent chapters, allowing the reader to refer exclusively to the Section of interest without being required to follow the structured order of the Chapters and subchapters of the book.