Vol. 77 No: 2

Title:
Direct planting of the short-duration summer crop using cold stored suckers of menthol mint Mentha arvensis

Authors:
R. BAHL, R.P. BANSAL and SUSHIL KUMAR

pp: 217-219

Abstract:
Suckers of menthol mint Mentha arvensis cultivars Himalaya and Kosi were harvested on 15 February 2001. Half of the suckers of each cultivar were cut into pieces and sown to raise plantlets in nursery. The remaining suckers were cold stored at 6 ± 20C. The plantlets were transplanted and cold stored suckers were direct planted in the field on 17 and 26 March and 10 April 2001. The 12 treatments were arranged as randomized blocks and replicated three times. The mint crops were harvested 100 d after planting to record yields of herb, essential oil and menthol. The transplanted and sucker sown crops of all three planting dates gave similar yields in both the varieties. Yields were lower as planting dates advanced. The cold stored ´Hima1aya` sucker retained their regenerability for eight weeks. ´Kosi` suckers maintained equal regenerability for up to six weeks, whereas about 30% loss of regenerabitity was apparent over next two weeks. To overcome marginal loss of regenerability on longer storage, the planting rate of ´Kosi` suckers sown needs to be increased by about 30%. It is concluded that cold stored suckers are suitable for direct sowing in the field to obtain late sown summer crops of mint.

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