CORRELATIONS BETWEEN THE LIMITED LEVEL OF NUTRITION AND THE ESSENTIAL OIL PRODUCTION OF PEPPERMINT

Our experiments in growth vessels carried out for 3 years periode in the Experimental Station of University of Horticulture aimed to answer the question how far essential oil production of peppermint (Mentha piperita T-81) and proportion of main volatile oil components (menthol, menthone, menthyl-acetate) may be influeced by lack of principial nutrients (N, P, K). Furthermore it was also examined, wether consequences of defective supply can be ceased within vegetation.

According to our results in the case of complete lack of N and P, peppermint’s essential oil production significantly decreases and proportion of main oil components changes.
The lowest decrease of essential oil production was showed in the case of potassium’s lack.

Treatments made in order to cease consequences developed earlier because of lack fo N and P, significantly increased the volatile oil production and varied proportion of main oil components.
In the case of potassium’s lack the treatment increased the essential oil content in considerably lower degree.

International Symposium on Medicinal and Aromatic Plants

L. Praszna, J. Bernáth

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1993.344.32