Menthol Mint Research Articles

Economics of menthol mint cultivation in India: Shifting from traditional farming to income based farming

The Mentha arvensis (menthol mint) is an important essential oil bearing plant and widely used in food, flavour, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. Production costs of traditional crops are now increasing due to the large share of cash inputs and unsupportive market system. These factors have forced the farmers to shift towards other crops that have better potential returns compared to the traditional crops. In this backdrop, the cultivation of medicinal crops is less risky in terms of the incidence of pest attacks, diseases and has potential returns. The present study was conducted in Rampur district of Uttar Pradesh with the objectives to estimate the costs and returns of mentha growing farmers in mentha cultivation. The net return over total cost (cost D) was found to be the highest on large farms with 20215 per ha; followed by medium and small size group of farms with 15071 and 13849 net returns, respectively.

Marketable surplus and post-harvest losses of maize at producer level in Tribal area of middle Gujarat

The Mentha arvensis (menthol mint) is an important essential oil bearing plant and widely used in food, flavour, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. Production costs of traditional crops are now increasing due to the large share of cash inputs and unsupportive market system. These factors have forced the farmers to shift towards other crops that have better potential returns compared to the traditional crops. In this backdrop, the cultivation of medicinal crops is less risky in terms of the incidence of pest attacks, diseases and has potential returns. The present study was conducted in Rampur district of Uttar Pradesh with the objectives to estimate the costs and returns of mentha growing farmers in mentha cultivation. The net return over total cost (cost D) was found to be the highest on large farms with 20215 per ha; followed by medium and small size group of farms with 15071 and 13849 net returns, respectively.

Registration of a pulegone rich variety CIM-Vishisht of Mentha arvensis

The new variety of Mentha arvensis named as ‘CIM-Vishisht’ was developed through half sib progeny selection of the menthol mint cultivar, ‘Shivalik’. The new variety has the potential of yielding 60 Kg/ha of essential oil which is rich in pulegone (65–68%) and the character is found stable over generations. The plant morphology of this new variety is distinct with medium height, smaller pale green leaves and white flowers, the growth habit is decumbent and has distinct DNA marker profile. This new variety ‘CIM-Vishisht’ will help opening new avenues for essential oil industry in the country.

Influence of light intensity on glandular trichome density, gene expression and essential oil of menthol mint (Mentha arvensis L.)

The effects of 25, 50, 75 and 100% of light intensity (137, 254, 406 and 543 μmol photons m−2 second−1, respectively) on aspects related to volatile synthesis in menthol mint were investigated. Fresh weight production, glandular trichome density and essential oil content showed a significant linear positive correlation with light intensity. Plants under low light intensity (25%) produced an essential oil with high levels of neomenthol, menthol and menthyl acetate. With 50 and 75% of light intensity plants showed an increase in expression of limonene synthase, limonene hydroxylase, (-)-isopiperitenol dehydrogenase, (+)-pulegone reductase and menthol dehydrogenase genes and an anticipation in oil maturity. With 25% of light intensity plants produced an essential oil with the best commercial profile. However, plants under 100% of light intensity produced more essential oil but with lower levels of menthol and higher levels of pulegone, that can be toxic for humans.

Chemical composition and functional properties of essential oils from Mentha species

The plants of the genus Mentha are widely used in cooking, cosmetics and popular medicine. The present work analyzes the chemical composition of the essential oils of several Mentha species, and evaluates some functional properties such as antioxidant, anticholinesterase and antifungal, to corroborate their medicinal use. The oils obtained by hydrodistillation showed higher levels of the monoterpenes limonene, isomenthone, menthol, menthofuran, d-neoisomenthol, 1,8-cineole (eucalyptol), d-carvone, linalool, linalyl acetate, piperitenone oxide and pulegone. The essential oil of Mentha longifolia (Himalayan silver mint) stood out for its antioxidant activity with IC50 of 0.86±0.01mg/mL by the DPPH method and 0.64±0.02mg/mL by the method of β-carotene/linoleic acid system. Mentha piperita oils (chocolate mint) and Mentha spicata (menthol mint) showed good inhibition of acetylcholinesterase, with enzyme inhibition zones of 1.0cm and 0.9cm, respectively. The antifungal activity of Mentha essential oils showed moderate activity against Trichophyton rubrum and Microsporum canis, and the oil of M. spicata (Ciudad del Leste mint) showed MIC and MFC near to the control. The major components of the essential oils could be responsible for evaluated activities, which are associated with the medicinal properties reported for Mentha species.

A New Agro-technology for Increasing Oil Yield and Yield Contributing Characters of Menthol Mint (Mentha arvensis L.)

A pot experiment were conducted at the research farm of Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plant, Research Centre, Pantnagar (Udham Singh Nagar) Uttarakhand, India, during 2013 to ascertain the response of nipping (cutting of apical portion in each branch of mint) on yield and yield contributing characters of mint (Mentha arvensis). The results revealed that, nipping of mint (Mentha arvensis L.) at 35 day after transplanting (T) recorded the highest plant height (89.3 cm), no. of branches/plant (99), leaf: stem ratio (1.31:1), fresh herb yield of mint (272.67 q/ha), oil content (1.20%) and oil yield (326.27 kg/ha) as compared to others and the lowest was found in T - control (no nipping).

Diurnal Effects on Mentha canadensis Oil Concentration and Composition at Two Different Harvests

Japanese cornmint, also known as menthol mint (Mentha canadensis L. syn M. arvensis L.), is an essential oil crop cultivated in several countries in Asia and South America. The plant is currently the only commercially viable source for natural menthol as a result of the high concentration of menthol in the oil compared with other crops. The hypothesis of this study was that harvesting at regular intervals within a 24-hour period would have an effect on essential oil concentration and composition of Japanese cornmint grown at high altitude in northern Wyoming. Flowering plants were harvested every 2 hours on 7 to 8 Aug. and on 14 to 15 Aug. and the essential oil was extracted by steam distillation and analyzed by gas chromatography–mass spectroscopy (GC-MS). The effects of harvest date (Harvest 1 and Harvest 2) and harvest time (12 times within a 24-hour period) were significant on oil concentration and yield of menthol, but only harvest date was significant on the concentration of menthol in the oil. The interaction effect of harvest date and harvest time was significant on water content and on the concentrations of menthol and menthofuran in the oil and on the yield of limonene, menthol, and menthofuran. Overall, the oil concentration in grams per 100 g dried material for the two harvests (1.26 and 1.45, respectively), the concentration of menthol in the oil (67.2% and 72.9%, respectively), and menthol yield (1066 to 849 mg/100 g dried biomass) were higher in plants at Harvest 2 as compared with plants at Harvest 1. The oil concentration was higher in plants harvested at 1100 hr or at 1300 hr and lowest in the plants harvested at 1500 hr. Menthol yield was the highest in plants harvested at 1300 hr and lowest in the plants harvested at 0700 hr, 1900 hr, or at 0300 hr. This study demonstrated that harvesting time within a 24-hour period and harvest date (maturity of the crop) may affect essential oil concentration and composition of Japanese cornmint grown at high altitude in northern Wyoming.

Growth, yield and economics of vetiver (Vetiveria zizanioides L. Nash) under intercropping system

Vetiver (Vetiveria zizanioides L.) is a high value essential oil crop, used as fixative in perfumery and cosmetic industries. Besides, the crop is also used to check soil erosion, water conservation, and reclamation of salt affected soils. Being vetiver a wider spaced crop with a long initial lag phase, thus the only option to sustain its productivity is intercropping. In a field experiment conducted during July, 2010–February, 2012 and July, 2012–February, 2014 at Lucknow, 13 cropping systems: sole crop of each of vetiver, sweet basil–radish–Tagetes minuta, black gram–clarysage, kalmegh–garlic, okra–radish–geranium, pigeon pea–menthol mint, maize–radish–onion and intercropping of above cropping sequences with vetiver were evaluated in randomized block design with three replications. Intercropping of sweet basil–radish–T. minuta with vetiver during rainy and winter seasons though reduced vetiver oil yield by 16.7% but was highly productive in terms of land equivalent ratio (1.54), land use efficiency (130%) and relative net return (1.35) and a net return of US$ 4801.7ha−1 followed by intercropping of maize–radish–onion with vetiver. The system also gave about 35% more profit over the sole cropping of vetiver.

New source of planting material for quality cultivation of menthol–mint (Mentha arvensis L.)

A field experiment was conducted to standardize the source of transplanting material and method for off-season (kharif season) menthol–mint (Mentha arvensis L.) cultivation. For this purpose, stem and stolons were evaluated as transplanting materials and their responses were ascertained with respect of yield, yield attributes, and essential oil quality using conventional and furrow-irrigated raised bed (FIRB) methods. The results revealed that different transplanting materials, stem and stolons, were similar in biomass yield, yield attributes, and nutrient uptake. Transplanting of menthol–mint on FIRB (1.2-m wide) provided significantly higher yield, yield attributes, and nutrient uptake as compared to other methods of transplanting. Stem-transplanted menthol–mint crop provided significantly higher plant height (81.9cm), number of branchesplant−1 (87), biomass yield (18.67Mgha−1), oil yield (205.4Lha−1), menthol content (76.5%), and nutrient uptake under FIRB (1.2-m wide) as compared with the other treatments.

Foliar Application of Metallic Salts Modulates Yield, Chemical Composition of Essential Oil, Whitefly Population and Rhizosphere Properties of Menthol Mint

Menthol mint (Mentha arvensis L.) is a high value aromatic crop. Its essential oil is extensively used in perfumery, cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries. Some metallic elements may modulate the growth, pest population and secondary metabolism in menthol mint plants. The aim of the current study was to investigate the effects of the foliar application (0.5 % aqueous solution) of metallic salts (sodium chloride, calcium chloride, zinc sulfate, copper sulfate and nickel sulfate) on yield, chemical composition of essential oil, whitefly population and soil properties in the rhizosphere of menthol mint. The foliar application of sodium chloride and zinc sulfate significantly increased shoot and oil yields of menthol mint over the control. The foliar application of copper sulfate had harmful effects on the yield of menthol mint. The foliar application of sodium chloride significantly reduced the population of adult whitefly in menthol mint. We concluded that foliar application of sodium chloride could be used as a novel approach to enhance yield and reduce the adult whitefly population without affecting the counts of microflora in the soil rhizosphere of menthol mint.

Chemical Composition of the Essential Oil and Nitrogen Metabolism of Menthol Mint under Different Phosphorus Levels

The purpose of this work was to evaluate the effects of different phosphorus levels (0.05, 0.5, 1 and 2 mM) under nitrogen metabolism and the essential oil profile of menthol mint (Mentha arvensis L.). The relationship between the leaf maturity and the essential oil profile was also explored. The experiment was conducted in a hydroponic system located in a grow chamber during 41 days and after the harvest, nitrate reductase activity, and the -N, amino-N, and soluble sugars levels of each plant part were evaluated. Also the essential oil from young leaves (6th to 8th node) and adult leaves (3rd to the 5th node) was analyzed. An uptake mechanism related to the increase in fresh weight of the roots was promoted with the use of low P levels (0.05 and 0.50 mmol&middotL-1). With 1 mmol&middotL-1 P plants showed in all parts an increased nitrate reductase activity and high levels of nitrate and amino-N in leaves. Plants submitted to the lowest P level (0.05 mmol&middotL-1) presented high levels of menthol. In leaves from 6th to 8th node (mature leaves) menthol level was approximately 87% of the essential oil however leaves from the 3rd to the 5th node (young leaves) showed high levels of pulegone, that can be toxic for humans. The results indicate that the essential oil quality in menthol mint is influenced by the leaf maturity and the P levels. Also it was showed that the oil extracted from mature leaves of plants under low P levels has the best commercial profile.

Production and Quality of Menthol Mint Essential Oil and Antifungal and Antigerminative Activity

Agricultural products certified as organic and free of pesticides cannot use synthetic chemicals in the production process. In this context, the search for new natural products appears as an alternative to the use of conventional pesticides, aiming to combat agricultural diseases. Menthol is a natural product obtained from plants that has importance in different branches of industry, mainly due to the feeling of freshness it provides in contact with skin and mucous. Menthol (70% - 90%) is the main compound of the menthol mint essential oil, followed by menthyl acetate (7% - 12%), which is an indicator of maturation. There are references to the period of maturation of menthol mint essential oil corresponds the period of flowering, on the other hand, are also presented evidence that the maturation of menthol mint essential oil is controlled by leaf expansion, namely with the physiological age of each leaf. Besides evaluating the essential oil production and quality extracted by hydrodistillation of young leaves (3rd to 5th node) and adult (6th to 8th node), was also proposed in this work to study the effect of menthol mint essential oil on the development of fungi of agricultural significance and commercial seeds of lettuce and tomato. After the extraction of the essential oil, was noted that adult leaves presented a higher content of essential oil, combined with the best commercial quality, showing higher levels of menthyl acetate and menthol. The menthol mint essential oil exhibited average fungitoxicity and antigerminative activity on Fusarium oxysporum, Rhizoctonia solani and Sclerotium rolfsii. On the other hand, menthol and terpineol, two essential oil components, showed the maximum fungitoxicity activity under this species and no inhibitory effect on the germination of lettuce and tomato.

Registration of a high yielding cold-tolerant menthol mint variety-CIM-Kranti of Mentha arvensis

An improved variety of menthol mint (Mentha arvensis), christen as “CIM-Kranti”, has been developed through half-sib progeny selection from the parent variety ‘cv. Gomti’. The new variety is cold and frost tolerant and has the potential to produce higher oil (10-12%) in summer cropping season when compared to all other popular commercial cultivars of menthol mint. More importantly, during winter season (September – January) also when all other mint varieties suffer senescence due to cold and frost conditions, ‘CIM-Kranti remains green in the field and grows vigorously to yield two to three times more essential oil and (100 kg/ha) along with sucker production (250-300 q/ha). This plant is distinct in terms of leaf morphology and DNA profile and can be propagated vegetatively to maintain uniformity. Hence, this newly developed variety is suitable for commercial cultivation of menthol mint to generate additional income to farmers without any additional input for cultivation during winter besides its usual cultivation as a summer crop.

Adaptability patterns and stable cultivar selection in menthol mint (Mentha arvensis L.)

The investigation was carried out to determine the stability and adaptability patterns of a set of ten cultivars of Mentha arvensis L. in different years in India, namely, MAS-1, Himalaya, Gomti, Sambhaw, Kalaka, Damroo, CIMAP-Saryu, Kosi, Kushal and Saksham, in a multi- year evaluation trial across three consecutive years. In the adaptation strategy the important steps here was to study/assess the performance of menthol mint varieties in multiyear trials. It was observed in this study that three mint varieties namely, Kosi, Kushal and CIMAP Saryu showed high stability for essential oil yield over years. Additive main effects and multiplicative interaction (AMMI) modal was found most efficient and practical alternative to selection of better adapted menthol mint cultivars. Based on the AMMI model, cultivars Kosi, Kushal and CIMAP Saryu expressed the high adaptability over years due to its ability to tolerate wide environmental conditions in different years/environments.

A natural plant growth promoter calliterpenone from a plant Callicarpa macrophylla Vahl improves the plant growth promoting effects of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPRs)

Experiments were conducted to evaluate the efficacy of calliterpenone, a natural plant growth promoter from a shrub Callicarpa macrophylla Vahl., in enhancing the growth and yield promoting effects of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPRs), in menthol mint (Mentha arvensis L).This study is based on our previous results indicating the microbial growth promotion by calliterpenone and assumption that application of calliterpenone along with PGPRs will improve the population of PGPRs resulting in higher impacts on plant growth and yield. Of the 15 PGPRs (identified as potent ones in our laboratory), 25 μl of 0.01 mM calliterpenone (8.0 μg/100 ml) was found to be useful in improving the population of nine PGPRs in culture media. The five selected strains of PGPRs exhibiting synergy with calliterpenone in enhancing growth of maize compared to PGPR or calliterpenone alone were selected and tested on two cultivars (cvs. Kosi and Kushal) of M. arvensis. Of the five strains, Bacillus subtilis P-20 (16S rDNA sequence homologous to Accession No NR027552) and B. subtilis Daz-26 (16SrDNA sequence homologuos to Accession No GU998816) were found to be highly effective in improving the herb and essential oil yield in the cultivars Kushal and Kosi respectively when co-treated with calliterpenone. The results open up the possibilities of using a natural growth promoter along with PGPRs as a bio-agri input for sustainable and organic agriculture.

Reaction of menthol mint (Mentha arvensis) genotypes to sweetpotato whitefly (Bemisia tabaci) and bean golden mosaic virus (Begomovirus spp) in northern India

The identification of potential pest resistance to plant genotypes is considered most economical and eco-friendly for integrated pest management programmes in agriculture. In this study, population of sweetpotao whitefly [Bemisia tabaci Genn. (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae)] pupae, adult forms, and bean golden mosaic virus (Begomovirus spp) infections were sampled at different stages of growth in various menthol mint (Mentha arvensis Linn.) genotypes under natural field conditions at Lucknow and a variation in resistance potential was observed among genotypes. Among 26 menthol mint genotypes, MA-6, Damroo, Gomti, MAS-31, MAS-3F, MA-5, Sambhav, MAS-216V, MAB-1, MAR-45, MAS-265, Shivalik, and Kushal were found associated with low numbers of pupae while MAB-1, MAS-1-98-1, H. Putra, MAS-92- 3, MA-5, MAS-92-2, Shivalik, MAS-92-1, Kushal, Gomti, Saksham, MAS-35 and Sambhav were found attacked by low number of adult of B. tabaci significantly (P=0.01). However, menthol mints genotypes; MA-6, MAB-1, MA-3 and Kalka were found infected with low number of twigs significantly (P=0.01) by bean golden mosaic virus. Overall, the M. arvensis clone of MAB-1 was found significantly less attacked by pupae and adult of B. tabaci and Begomovirus infection. These pest- and -disease resistant genotypes can be used in future hybridization programmes for developing new high- yielding menthol mint varieties.

Contribution and assessment of recycled menthol mint vermicompost on productivity and soil quality in mint and mint–rice–wheat rotation: A case study

AbstractTrials in farmers' field(s) were conducted to study the usefulness of vermicompost (VC) produced from distillation waste of menthol mint (Mentha arvensisL. cv. Kushal) using earthworms (Eisenia foetida) in reducing the inputs of chemical fertilizers and improving soil health in menthol mint-based cropping systems. Results of the first trial conducted on menthol mint (sole crop) in the fields of 45 farmers clearly indicated that 75% of the chemical fertilizer inputs can be reduced by supplementing the fields with 5tha−1of menthol mint VC leading to higher levels of profits to the farmers by significantly improving herb and oil yield (6.7 and 8.4%, respectively) compared to the full recommended dose of chemical fertilizers (NPK 75:60:60kgha−1). The second trial was conducted in the fields of six farmers adopting a menthol mint cropping system (mint–rice–wheat–mint) where significantly higher yields were recorded in plots supplemented with 5tha−1of menthol mint VC+25% of the recommended dose of chemical fertilizers; an increase of 5.6–7.2% in mint oil and 6.6% in wheat yield over the plots receiving the full recommended dose of chemical fertilizers (NPK 75:60:60kgha−1). However, in the case of rice, the highest grain yield was observed within plots receiving the full recommended dose of chemical fertilizers. Data obtained on soil properties clearly showed that apart from enhancing the yields of crops, the integration of VC with chemical fertilizers considerably improved the soil fertility/sustainability status in terms of organic carbon, available N, P and K.

Evaluation of alternate menthol mint (Mentha arvensis L.) based intensive cropping systems for Indo-Gangetic plains of north India

The objective of the study was to determine the profitability and employment-generation potential of different cropping systems involving menthol mint (Mentha arvensis L.) as a component of sequential/intercropping in comparison with the most common paddy–wheat–green gram cropping system. Field experiments were conducted at Lucknow, India (26° 5′ N, 80° 5′ E and 120 m above mean sea level) for three years from July 2004 to June 2007. Menthol mint yielded the maximum fresh shoot biomass and essential oil (21.0 t and 151 kg ha−1, respectively) grown after sweet basil (Ocimum basillicum)–potato followed by paddy–potato–menthol mint (18.9 t and 136 kg ha−1, respectively) and maize–mustard–menthol mint (17.7 t and 131 kg ha−1, respectively). Net returns of all the menthol-mint-based cropping systems were 82.6–354% higher than traditional paddy–wheat–green gram cropping system. Maize–garlic–menthol mint + okra was found to be most profitable (77,200 Rs ha−1) followed by pigeon pea + sweet basil–menthol mint + okra (76,120 Rs ha−1). Employment-generation efficiency was much higher in cropping systems involving menthol mint and vegetable crops, the highest (2.21 man days ha−1 day−1) being in a maize–cauliflower–onion–menthol mint + okra cropping system.

Influence of different dates of planting on growth, herb, oil yield and quality of essential oil of menthol mint (Mentha arvensis) in the North Indian Plain

A field experiment was conducted for two years (2007–2008 and 2008–2009) to study the effect of different dates of planting for three menthol mint (Mentha arvensis) cultivars (Saksham, Kushal and Kosi; developed by Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, Lucknow, India) on herb yield, oil yield and oil quality. All the cultivars produced higher herb and oil yields when planted on 18 February, compared with cultivars planted on other dates in both years. Average herb yield for Saksham increased by 12.89, 30.66, 54.01 and 85.71%, average herb yield for Kushal increased by 15.09, 30.57, 71.69 and 104.91%, and average herb yield for Kosi increased by 32.48, 53.28, 87.23 and 109.49% when planted on 4 January, 19 January, 3 February and 18 February, respectively, over cultivars planted on 20 December. Among the cultivars, Kosi produced a higher herb yield than Saksham and Kushal planted on 18 February. Saksham, Kushal and Kosi produced ∼89.39, 152.04 and 170.22% higher oil yield, when planted on 18 February over their respective planting date of 20 December. Maximum menthol content was recorded in cultivar Saksham when planted on 18 February and in Kushal and Kosi when planted on 4 March.

Enhanced tolerance of Mentha arvensis against Meloidogyne incognita (Kofoid and White) Chitwood through mutualistic endophytes and PGPRs

The use of herbs in pharmaceutical preparation is ever increasing, and the demand for pesticides free material by the concern industries is on the rise. Consequently the need to grow disease-free plants using non-chemical fertilizers and pesticides is the need of the hour. Mentha arvensis cv. kosi is highly infested with Meloidogyne incognita (Kofoid and White) Chitwood, and severe oil yield loss occurs due to this nematode pest. Employing ecofriendly ways of nematode management, the mutualistic endophytes (Trichoderma harzianum strain Thu, Glomus intraradices) and plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (Bacillus megaterium and Pseudomonas fluorescens) were assessed individually and in combination on plant biomass, oil yield of menthol mint (M. arvensis cv. kosi), reproduction potential and population development of root knot nematode, M. incognita under glasshouse conditions. These microbes enhanced the plant biomass and percent oil yield both with and without M. incognita inoculation. Dual application of mutualistic fungal endophytes and Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPRs) may be a wise option for enhancing the oil yield and tolerance of menthol mint against M. incognita infection.