Effects of low
gamma radiation from 60Co on in vitro shoots of Mentha arvensis L.
Tran Truc Ha and Vu Huyen-Trang
Res. J. Biotech.; Vol. 20(12); 67-72;
doi: https://doi.org/10.25303/2012rjbt067072; (2025)
Abstract
Gamma irradiation is an effective mutagenic technique for inducing genetic variations
and developing improved varieties of peppermint (Mentha arvensis L.), an important
essential oil crop. This study investigated the effects of different gamma radiation
doses (0, 2, 4, 6, and 10 Gy) on in vitro shoot cultures and field performance of
peppermint. Irradiation at 6 Gy proved optimal, significantly enhancing shoot growth
parameters like number of shoots, shoot height, number of leaves, and fresh weight
compared to non-irradiated controls and higher doses during in vitro culture. When
transplanted to the field, the 6 Gy irradiated peppermint plants exhibited superior
vegetative growth, including higher plant height, more leaves and branches, and
greater dry biomass accumulation at 30, 60, and 80 days after transplanting. Importantly,
these plants had a 10% higher essential oil content along with remarkable 63% and
64% increases in the key aroma compounds menthol and menthone respectively, relative
to non-irradiated controls.
The results highlight low-dose gamma irradiation as an effective mutation induction
approach for peppermint improvement, simultaneously enhancing growth traits, essential
oil yield, and oil quality with enriched menthol and menthone levels. The optimal
6 Gy dose identified provides valuable insights for mutation breeding aimed at genetic
enhancement of peppermint and other essential oil crops.
