Performance of Japanese mint genotypes in open field and vertical farming conditions
1Department of Fruit Science, HC and RI, TNAU, Periyakulam – 625604, Tamil Nadu, India. 2Department of Horticulture, School of Agriculture and Animal Science, Gandhigram Rural Institute, Dindigul – 624302, Tamil Nadu, India. 3Department of Horticulture, College of Agriculture and Technology, Theni – 625562, Tamil Nadu, India. 4Department of Horticulture, RVS Padmavathy College of Horticulture, Dindigul – 624707, Tamil Nadu, India. 5Department of Horticulture, Kerala Agricultural University, Wayanad – 673593, Kerala, India. Corresponding e-mail: aneeshaj017@gmail.com
DOI: https://doi.org/10.37855/jah.2025.v27i03.93
Full text PDF Japanese mint (Mentha arvensis L.), a member of the family Lamiaceae, is a perennial, herbaceous, aromatic plant that holds significant economic value. It serves as a leafy vegetable and, more importantly, as a primary source for natural menthol. This dual utility, along with its valuable metabolites, is driving the growing demand for Mentha products. However, global population growth and urbanization are rapidly reducing cultivable land, making it difficult to produce fresh, high-quality vegetables. In this context, vertical farming has emerged as a promising alternative, utilizing controlled environments that enable the year-round production of quality vegetables, regardless of the climatic conditions. In this study, nine genotypes of Japanese mint viz., Kosi (V1), CIM-Kranti (V2), Himalaya (V3), Kalka (V4), MAS-1 (V5), Saksham (V6), Gomti (V7), Seelayampatti local (V8) and Bangalore type (V9) under open field (G1) and vertical A-frame structure (G2) were evaluated. Among them, Saksham (V6) and Gomti (V7) showed an increase in quality parameters in both growing conditions. Saksham in vertical A-frame structure (G2V6) recorded maximum protein content (1.99 mg 100 g-1), total phenol content (22.86 mg 100 g-1) and calcium content (9.62 %) and Gomti (G2V7) recorded maximum vitamin C content (27.5 mg 100 g-1) and potassium content (2.17 %) when grown in vertical A frame structure. These findings underscore the immense potential of vertical farming, particularly A-frame structures, to not only mitigate land scarcity but also significantly enhance the nutritional and phytochemical quality of economically important crops, such as Japanese mint. Therefore, adopting vertical farming is crucial for consistently supplying high-quality mint products to meet growing global demands.
