Effect of Different İrrigation Regimes on Quantitative and Qualititative Characteristics of Peppermint Medicinal Plant

Abstract

Regulated Deficit Irrigation (RDI) is the strategy of reducing irrigation rates, during a specific period of growth and development, with the objective of conserving water and managing plant growth while maintaining or improving yield and quality. Partial root zone drying (PRD) is a possible irrigation technique that deliberately exposes the plant to water deficits to induce physiological responses that can improve the efficiency of water use. It involves irrigating only one part of the root zone in each irrigation event, leaving another part to dry to certain soil water content before rewetting by shifting irrigation to the dry side. Various plants are different in economic efficiency of irrigation water used. Medicinal plants, as a collection of plants with high economic value, can produce more capital than other plants in terms of water scarcity. The objective of this study was to determine the response of peppermint yield components, oil yield, and water use efficiency to regulated deficit irrigation and partial root-zone drying in field condition.

Keywords

• drought stress
• irrigation management
• field capacity
• harvest index
• essential oil yield