Effect of Nitrogen, Location, and Harvesting Stage on Peppermint Productivity, Oil Content, and Oil Composition

Abstract

<jats:p>Peppermint (<jats:italic>Mentha</jats:italic> ×<jats:italic>piperita</jats:italic>) is currently not a common crop in the southeastern United States. Recently, there has been an interest in peppermint as an essential oil crop for this region. In 2007, a field experiment was conducted in Mississippi to determine the effect of nitrogen (N) (0 and 80 kg·ha<jats:sup>−1</jats:sup>), location (Verona and Stoneville), and harvesting stage (bud formation and flowering) on peppermint productivity, oil content, and composition. Peppermint biomass yields were higher at Verona (8.12 t·ha<jats:sup>−1</jats:sup>) than at Stoneville (6.12 t·ha<jats:sup>−1</jats:sup>). However, the essential oil content was higher at Stoneville (1.1%) than at Verona (0.6%). Generally, N rate at 80 kg·ha<jats:sup>−1</jats:sup> did not affect oil yield and composition compared with 0 kg·ha<jats:sup>−1</jats:sup>. The concentrations of the major essential oil constituents were: (-)-menthol at 26% to 30%, (-)-menthone at 14% to 21%, (+)-menthofuran at 5% to 11%, and eucalyptol at 3% to 4% of total essential oil (wt/wt) and were generally within the values previously reported. The concentrations of (-)-menthone and (+)-menthofuran were significantly higher at Stoneville, 21% and 11%, respectively, than at Verona (14% and 6%). The (-)-menthol, (-)-menthone, and (+)-menthofuran yields/ha were higher at Stoneville than at Verona. Overall oil content and yields were higher at bud formation than at flowering, 1.3 and 1.8 times, respectively. In addition, the concentration of (-)-menthone and eucalyptol and the yields of (-)-menthone, (+)-menthofuran, and eucalyptol were higher at bud formation than at flowering. The results from this study demonstrated peppermint can be successfully grown in Mississippi and provide essential oil yields and composition comparable to those in the northwestern United States, the traditional peppermint-growing region.</jats:p>

Weed interference with peppermint (Mentha x piperita L.) and spearmint (Mentha spicata L.) crops under different herbicide treatments: effects on biomass and essential oil yield

“…According to the Food and Agricultural Organization of United Nations, peppermint world production in 2013 was 95.161 tonnes, whereas statistical data on spearmint world production are not available. Peppermint is usually cultivated for its leaves which are used in dry form for tea preparations, while spearmint is used as a flavouring agent in cooked foods. Both species are also grown for essential oils production, which are widely used in pharmaceutical industry and cosmetics .…”

EFECTO DE LA FERTILIZACIÓN SOBRE EL CRECIMIENTO Y CONTENIDO DE COMPUESTOS VOLÁTILES EN Satureja macrostema (Benth) Briq.

“…A pesar de que S. macrostema no se cultiva ni se maneja en invernadero, se esperaba una respuesta positiva a la aplicación de fertilizante mineral, ya que algunos estudios indican que la fertilización favorece la producción de biomasa en diversos cultivos (Mohamed y Abdum, 2004;Nagdhi-Badi et al, 2004;Pavlovic et al, 2006;Zhu et al, 2008;Zheljazkov et al, 2009).…”

“…Although S. macrostema is not cultivated or handled in a greenhouse, a positive response to the application of mineral fertilizer was expected, as certain studies indicate that fertilization favors the production of biomass in various crops (Mohamed y Abdum, 2004;Nagdhi-Badi et al, 2004;Pavlovic et al, 2006;Zhu et al, 2008;Zheljazkov et al, 2009).…”

“…In spite of the high demand for certain native wild species, there are not enough studies on the agronomic conditions that influence their qualitative and quantitative characteristics. Various researches show that mineral fertilizer, especially nitrogen (Zheljazkov et al, 2009), phosphorus (Zhu et al, 2008) and potassium (Pavlovic et al, 2006) favors the generation of biomass and the composition of secondary metabolites of economic interest, like certain volatile compounds. It is essential to know the factors that determine these differences in order to increase their yield (Estrada, 2002).…”

“…A pesar de la alta demanda que tienen algunas silvestres nativas, no existen suficientes estudios que aborden las condiciones agronómicas que influyen en sus características cualitativas y cuantitativas. Diversas investigaciones demuestran que el abono mineral, especialmente mediante la aplicación de nitrógeno (Zheljazkov et al, 2009), fósforo (Zhu et al, 2008) y potasio (Pavlovic et al , 2006) favorece la generación de biomasa y la composición de metabolitos secundarios de interés económico, como algunos volátiles. Es fundamental conocer los factores que determinan estas diferencias para incrementar su rendimiento (Estrada, 2002).…”