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Assessment of drought tolerance in various ecotypes of peppermint (Mentha piperita) through morphological and biochemical traits

Document Type : Research Paper - Medicinal Aromatic Plants

Authors
Ghader Rostami 1
Mohammad Moghaddam 2
Leila Samiei 2
Sadrollah Ramezani 3
1 Ph.D Student, Department of Horticultural Science and Landscape Architecture, Faculty of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran
2 Associate Professor, Department of Horticultural Science and Landscape Architecture, Faculty of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran
3 Assistant Professor, Department of Landscape Engineering, Faculty of Geography and Environmental Planning, University of Sistan and Baluchestan, Zahedan, Iran
10.22055/ppd.2025.48374.2229
Abstract
Introduction
Peppermint (Mentha piperita), an important medicinal plant belonging to the Lamiacea family, is widely used for its essential oil in the food, pharmaceutical, cosmetics, baking, chewing gum, soft drinks, and additive industries. However, peppermint is exposed to varouse abiotic stresses drought during its growth period, particularly drought stress. Ecotypes of medicinal plants have evolved diverse adaptive mechanisms to tolerate harsh environmental conditions, making peppermint a valuable genetic resource for the development of drought-tolerant products in water-limited regions. Given that arid and semi-arid climates dominate much of Iran, this study was conducted to evaluate the effects of drought stress on the growth and biochemical characteristics of peppermint and to identify the most drought-tolerant ecotypes.
Materials and Methods
To evaluate drought tolerance in different peppermint (Mentha piperita L.) ecotypes, a pot experiment was conducted as a factorial arrangement based on a completely randomized design with three replications during the 2022 growing season. The experiment was carried out in the research greenhouse of the Faculty of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad. The first factor was drought stress at two levels: 70% field capacity (mild stress) and 50% field capacity (severe stress). The second factor consisted of six peppermint ecotypes collected from different regions of Iran: Mazandaran, Mahan (Kerman), Tabas, Sarakhs, Khash, and Qazvin. Plant identification was performed at the Research Institute of Plant Sciences, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad. Drought stress treatments were applied for two months, and morphological and biochemical traits were measured at the flowering stage.
Results and Discussion
The results indicated that the interaction effect of drought stress and ecotype was significant for all measured traits. Increasing drought stress led to reductions in plant height, number of branches, leaf length and width, number and length of inflorescences, stem diameter, leaf and stem dry weight, photosynthetic pigment content (chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, and total chlorophyll), and relative water content of leaves across all ecotypes. The highest values for these traits were observed under mild stress, whereas the lowest values occurred under severe stress. The substantial reduction in soil moisture at 50% field capacity likely limited water and mineral availability for the peppermint ecotypes, ultimately resulting in reduced growth. Under severe drought stress, Mazandaran and Sarakhs ecotypes showed marked increases in antioxidant activity (32% and 39.67%, respectively), carotenoid concentration (138% and 131%), total phenol content (30.53% and 29.65%), and total flavonoid content (38.34% and 33.36%) compared with mild stress conditions. Cluster analysis and biplot results grouped the drought-tolerant ecotypes (Sarakhs and Mazandaran) into the same cluster, while the remaining ecotypes (Mahan [Kerman], Tabas, Khash, and Qazvin) were classified as drought-sensitive. These findings suggest that Sarakhs and Mazandaran ecotypes activated non-enzymatic antioxidant defense mechanisms, leading to the accumulation of phenolic and flavonoid compounds and enhanced antioxidant capacity, thereby mitigating oxidative damage under drought stress. Furthermore, the grouping of ecotypes did not fully correspond to their geographical origins, indicating that factors beyond climate such as genetic exchange, introduction of plant material, and genetic erosion, also contribute to the observed diversity.
Conclusion
The effects of mild and severe drought stress on peppermint ecotypes indicated that Sarakhs and Mazandaran ecotypes exhibit the highest adaptability under drought conditions. Their tolerance is associated with increased phenolic compound accumulation, improved leaf water retention, and reduced damage from ion leakage compared with other ecotypes. Therefore, Sarakhs and Mazandaran ecotypes can be recommended as drought-tolerant genotypes and are suitable candidates for further physiological and breeding studies.
Keywords
Drought stress
Growth
Phenolic compounds
Photosynthetic pigments
Relative water content
Subjects
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Plant Productions
Volume 48, Issue 4
Winter 2026
Pages 645-665