Essential Oil Composition and Physiology of Three <i>Mentha</i> Genotypes Under Shaded Field Conditions
Charlotte Hubert-Schöler,
Saskia Tsiaparas,
Katharina Luhmer,
Marcel Dieter Moll,
Maike Passon,
Matthias Wüst,
Andreas Schieber,
Ralf Pude
Affiliations
Charlotte Hubert-Schöler
Institute of Crop Science and Resource Conservation—Renewable Resources, Agricultural Faculty, University of Bonn, Klein-Altendorf 2, D-53359 Rheinbach, Germany
Saskia Tsiaparas
Institute of Nutritional and Food Sciences, Food Chemistry, Agricultural Faculty, University of Bonn, Friedrich-Hirzebruch-Allee 7, D-53115 Bonn, Germany
Katharina Luhmer
Institute of Crop Science and Resource Conservation—Renewable Resources, Agricultural Faculty, University of Bonn, Klein-Altendorf 2, D-53359 Rheinbach, Germany
Marcel Dieter Moll
Institute of Crop Science and Resource Conservation—Renewable Resources, Agricultural Faculty, University of Bonn, Klein-Altendorf 2, D-53359 Rheinbach, Germany
Maike Passon
Institute of Nutritional and Food Sciences, Food Chemistry, Agricultural Faculty, University of Bonn, Friedrich-Hirzebruch-Allee 7, D-53115 Bonn, Germany
Matthias Wüst
Institute of Nutritional and Food Sciences, Food Chemistry, Agricultural Faculty, University of Bonn, Friedrich-Hirzebruch-Allee 7, D-53115 Bonn, Germany
Andreas Schieber
Institute of Nutritional and Food Sciences, Molecular Food Technology, Agricultural Faculty, University of Bonn, Friedrich-Hirzebruch-Allee 7, D-53115 Bonn, Germany
Ralf Pude
Institute of Crop Science and Resource Conservation—Renewable Resources, Agricultural Faculty, University of Bonn, Klein-Altendorf 2, D-53359 Rheinbach, Germany
Mentha spp. are commonly used for the production of tea and for the extraction of essential oils (EOs). The key factor of mint quality is the content and composition of the EO. Health-promoting compounds such as menthol are desirable, whereas the presence of potentially health-damaging compounds such as menthofuran should be avoided. This study examines the effect of shading on the EO content and composition of three Mentha genotypes (Mentha × piperita ‘Multimentha’, Mentha × piperita ‘Fränkische Blaue’ and Mentha rotundifolia ‘Apfelminze’). The Mentha genotypes were cultivated in field trials for two years (2022–2023). Each genotype was shaded with a shading net (50% photosynthetic active radiation (PAR) reduction), and a control without shading was prepared. EO content was determined by steam distillation and EO composition was characterized by GC-MS analysis. Furthermore, biomass, vegetation indices (VIs) and the electron transport rate (ETR) were analyzed. While shading led to higher plant heights, higher EO content and a slightly reduced amount of undesired EO compounds, the unshaded control yielded a higher biomass accumulation. Significant genotypic differences were determined. In conclusion, the benefits of shading depend on the intended use and genotype selection.
