Scholarlink

<p>Increased drought and reduced rainfall due to global warming has increased water deficit stress in crops, particularly under high light conditions, and rising global temperatures are exacerbating these challenges to agricultural productivity. These environmental stresses often occur together, posing significant challenges to crop production. Despite their importance, the combined effects of water deficit and high light intensity on peppermint remain understudied. This 2-year field study (2020–2021) examined the effects of light intensity and water availability on the growth, yield, and phytochemical composition of peppermint. The experiment used a split-plot randomized complete block design with two factor combinations of three light intensities (full sunlight, 75%, and 50% sunlight) and three water availability levels (25%, 50%, and 75% of field capacity (FC) during plant growth) with three replications. In the first year, the highest fresh weight (14,888&#xa0;kg&#xa0;ha<sup>−1</sup>) was recorded under 50% light intensity combined without water deficit stress, in the second year, the maximum fresh and dry yields were obtained under full sunlight without water deficit stress. Severe shading and water deficit stress significantly reduced fresh and dry yields by 68.26% and 71.08%, respectively, in the second year. Full sunlight exposure combined with water deficit stress increased the accumulation of total phenols and flavonoids in peppermint, probably as a protective response to oxidative stress, which may influence its characteristic organoleptic properties and flavor. In contrast, under reduced light intensity (50% sunlight) and moderate water stress conditions, plants exhibited increased chlorophyll content, suggesting an adaptive mechanism to maximize light capture efficiency in shaded environments. In the first year, shading mitigated the negative impacts of water deficit stress, improving plant yield and essential oil (EO) content while reducing extract content. Key EO components, including menthol, menthone, 1,8-cineole, and menthyl acetate, were abundant across all treatments. Notably, water deficit stress enhanced the levels of industrially important EO constituents such as menthol and menthone, while shading increased menthone content but reduced overall yield. These findings highlight the complex interactions between light intensity and water availability in shaping the growth, yield, physiological and phytochemical composition of peppermint. They provide valuable insights for optimizing cultivation practices to enhance its economic value.</p> Graphical Abstract <p></p>

错误：搜索内容不能为空，请输入英文关键词
错误：关键词超出字数限制，请精简
高级检索

Light Intensity Modulation Increases Peppermint Yield and Regulates Physiological and Phytochemical Responses to Water Deficit Stress

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2025年7月11日

查看全文
  • Saeid hazrati,
  • Masoud Hassanpour,
  • Hamid Mohammadi,
  • Ahmad Aghaee,
  • Silvana Nicola

摘要

Increased drought and reduced rainfall due to global warming has increased water deficit stress in crops, particularly under high light conditions, and rising global temperatures are exacerbating these challenges to agricultural productivity. These environmental stresses often occur together, posing significant challenges to crop production. Despite their importance, the combined effects of water deficit and high light intensity on peppermint remain understudied. This 2-year field study (2020–2021) examined the effects of light intensity and water availability on the growth, yield, and phytochemical composition of peppermint. The experiment used a split-plot randomized complete block design with two factor combinations of three light intensities (full sunlight, 75%, and 50% sunlight) and three water availability levels (25%, 50%, and 75% of field capacity (FC) during plant growth) with three replications. In the first year, the highest fresh weight (14,888 kg ha−1) was recorded under 50% light intensity combined without water deficit stress, in the second year, the maximum fresh and dry yields were obtained under full sunlight without water deficit stress. Severe shading and water deficit stress significantly reduced fresh and dry yields by 68.26% and 71.08%, respectively, in the second year. Full sunlight exposure combined with water deficit stress increased the accumulation of total phenols and flavonoids in peppermint, probably as a protective response to oxidative stress, which may influence its characteristic organoleptic properties and flavor. In contrast, under reduced light intensity (50% sunlight) and moderate water stress conditions, plants exhibited increased chlorophyll content, suggesting an adaptive mechanism to maximize light capture efficiency in shaded environments. In the first year, shading mitigated the negative impacts of water deficit stress, improving plant yield and essential oil (EO) content while reducing extract content. Key EO components, including menthol, menthone, 1,8-cineole, and menthyl acetate, were abundant across all treatments. Notably, water deficit stress enhanced the levels of industrially important EO constituents such as menthol and menthone, while shading increased menthone content but reduced overall yield. These findings highlight the complex interactions between light intensity and water availability in shaping the growth, yield, physiological and phytochemical composition of peppermint. They provide valuable insights for optimizing cultivation practices to enhance its economic value.

Graphical Abstract