ISHS Acta Horticulturae 344: International Symposium on Medicinal and Aromatic Plants
WATER MANAGEMENT FOR MIDWESTERN PEPPERMINT (MENTHA X PIPERITA L.) GROWING IN HIGHLY ORGANIC SOILS, INDIANA, USA. |
| Authors: | Ben H. Alkire, James E. Simon |
| Keywords: | mint, essential oil, sprinkle irrigation, yield |
| Abstract:
Peppermint (Mentha x piperita L. cv. ‘Black Mitchum’) was grown in northern Indiana, USA (41.5°N latitude) from 1989–1992. The study consisted of three irrigation treatments: non-irrigated control, partial irrigation and full irrigation. Plants from each of the irrigation regimens were sampled biweekly to determine crop growth (dry wt basis), and essential oil yield and composition by hydrodistillation. Soil moisture was monitored using gypsum blocks and plant water potential was measured using a Scholander pressure chamber. Irrigation effects were also tabulated by measuring plant height, leaf area and internode length. Essential oil yields of fully irrigated and partially irrigated crops increased 57% and 38%, respectively (4-year average) over the non-irrigated controls. While slight changes were noted in essential oil composition, water deficit and irrigation treatments per se, did not alter terpene composition in a manner that impacted oil quality. | |
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