Vegetative growth and yield of essential oil of peppermint grown under nets

Abstract

The objective of this work was to evaluate the growth and the content, yield, and chemical composition of the essential oil of peppermint (Mentha piperita) grown under different nets in Lavras, MG, Brazil. Peppermint plants were grown in five environments: full sun, black net, aluminet net, blue net, and red net, all with 50% of irradiance. The experimental design was a completely randomized block with four replicates and five plants per plot. The evaluated parameters were: vegetative growth, content, yield, and chemical analysis of the essential oil. Peppermint plants grown under full sun and black and red nets produced higher dry leaf biomass and higher essential oil content and yield. However, in full sun, the essential oil of the plants had higher contents of menthol and, under black and blue nets, of menthophurane. Therefore, it is possible to manipulate plant growth and yield and chemical composition of the essential oil of peppermint with cultivation under nets or full sun.