Effect of Mung Bean Residues, Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi, and Rhizosphere Bacteria on the Yield and Essential Oil Composition of Spearmint (Mentha spicata L.)
Subject Areas : Sustainable production technologiesEinollah Hesami 1 , Mohsen Jahan 2
1 - Department of Agrotechnology, Sho.C., Islamic Azad University, Shoushtar, Iran
2 - Department of Agriculture, Faculty of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran
Keywords: Beneficial microorganisms, Bio fertilizer, Essential oil composition , Sustainable agriculture, ,
Abstract :
Objective: Plant residues, as organic matter sources, contribute to improving soil physical, chemical, and biological properties, thereby supporting plant metabolism. In medicinal plant production, avoiding chemical residues is crucial for preserving active compounds. Therefore, the use of organic and biofertilizers in mint (Mentha spp.) cultivation can improve yield and quality while reducing environmental risks. This study aims to evaluate their effects on the growth and performance of mint as a step toward sustainable cultivation.
Material and methods: This study was conducted to investigate the effects of different organic and biofertilizer treatments—including mung bean residues, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, and biosphere containing beneficial bacteria—on some quantitative and qualitative traits of spearmint (Mentha spicata L.) during the 2023–2024 cropping season at the Tropical and Subtropical Plants Research Center, Faculty of Agriculture, Shoushtar. The experiment was arranged as a split-plot based on a randomized complete block design with 12 treatments and three replications. The first factor was plant residues at three levels: no residue (control), 3.5 tons/ha, and 4.5 tons/ha of mung bean residue. The second factor included four levels of biofertilizer application: none, mycorrhiza, biosphere, and combined application. Soil samples were taken from 0–30 cm depth prior to the treatments for physical and chemical analysis. Planting was done in early spring in plots of 3 × 6 meters, and aerial parts were harvested at physiological maturity.
Results: This study investigated the effects of plant residues, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), and bio-phosphate (biofertilizer) on plant growth, biomass production, chlorophyll content, essential oil yield, and menthon concentration. Analysis of variance showed that none of the main or interaction effects significantly influenced plant height, shoot dry weight, or leaf chlorophyll content. Nevertheless, treatments with 3.5 t/ha of plant residues combined with AMF and without bio phosphate produced the highest plant height (55 cm) and shoot dry weight (5710 kg/ha). Similarly, the highest essential oil yield (8012 g/ha) was recorded under the same treatment, representing a 42% increase compared to the control. In contrast, the lowest values for these traits were generally associated with treatments involving 4.5 t/ha of residues and bio phosphate without AMF. Bio phosphate had a significant effect on menthon content, where its application reduced menthon concentration from 1345 to 822 g/ha. Although not always statistically significant, differences in chlorophyll and growth traits suggest biologically meaningful trends.
Conclusion: Based on the results, although many treatment effects were not statistically significant, the observed trends were biologically meaningful. The use of plant residues and beneficial microorganisms such as Bio sulfur and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi relatively improved physiological traits like plant height and chlorophyll content. Notably, Bio sulfur contributed to reducing a monotonous compound composition, thereby enhancing the essential oil quality. These findings suggest that the smart application of organic and biological inputs can optimize the quantitative and qualitative performance of medicinal plants, especially under the warm climate and low-fertility soils of Khuzestan
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