Effect of Heat Stress on Yield, Monoterpene Content and Antibacterial Activity of Essential Oils of Mentha x piperita var. Mitcham and Mentha arvensis var. piperascens
Milad Heydari,
Anna Zanfardino,
Alireza Taleei,
Ali Akbar Shahnejat Bushehri,
Javad Hadian,
Viviana Maresca,
Sergio Sorbo,
Michela Di Napoli,
Mario Varcamonti,
Adriana Basile,
Daniela Rigano
Affiliations
Milad Heydari
Department of Agronomy and Plant Breeding, Collage of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Tehran, P.O. Box 31787-316 Karaj, Iran
Anna Zanfardino
Department of Biology—University of Naples “Federico II”, 80126 Naples, Italy
Alireza Taleei
Department of Agronomy and Plant Breeding, Collage of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Tehran, P.O. Box 31787-316 Karaj, Iran
Ali Akbar Shahnejat Bushehri
Department of Agronomy and Plant Breeding, Collage of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Tehran, P.O. Box 31787-316 Karaj, Iran
Javad Hadian
Medicinal Plants and Drug Research Institute, ShahidBeheshti University, G.C. Tehran 11369, Iran
Viviana Maresca
Department of Biology—University of Naples “Federico II”, 80126 Naples, Italy
Sergio Sorbo
C.e.S.M.A. University of Naples “Federico II”, 80126 Naples, Italy
Michela Di Napoli
Department of Biology—University of Naples “Federico II”, 80126 Naples, Italy
Mario Varcamonti
Department of Biology—University of Naples “Federico II”, 80126 Naples, Italy
Adriana Basile
Department of Biology—University of Naples “Federico II”, 80126 Naples, Italy
Daniela Rigano
Department of Pharmacy, School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples Federico II, 80126 Naples, Italy
Heat stress affects the yield of medicinal plants and can reduce biomass and/or metabolite production. In order to evaluate the effect of heat-induced stress on the essential oil production in Mentha x piperita L. var. Mitcham (Mitcham mint) and Mentha arvensis var. piperascens Malinv. ex L. H. Bailey (Japanese mint), we studied the chemical composition of the oils of the two mint species under different heat shock stresses in growth chambers. The antibacterial activity of the essential oils was also evaluated; microscopic observation (fluorescence and electron transmission) was used to assess the effect of the tested samples on bacterial growth. The results obtained shed light on the mint essential oils composition and biological activity in relation to heat stress.
