Yield of peperina (Minthostachys mollis (Kunth.) Griseb.) populations in the year following planting: response to cropping regimen

Abstract

In Argentina there is a large market for aromatic plants, a trade that reaches its maximum importance in the mountain areas of Córdoba in the centre-west of the country. Of the native species, Minthostachys mollis (Kunth.) Griseb., or the peperina, is the most sought-after, and studies have begun to look for ways to sustainably cultivate crops of this species. The aim of the present work was to determine the response of different peperina populations to cropping (the partial harvest of growing plants). Eight populations from different original locations were grown in the mountains of the Córdoba province under different cropping regimens (i.e., different cropping times and number of cropping events). Plant production and persistence were recorded for each regimen. Large variations were observed in dry matter content and the quantities of essential oil produced; the genotype x environment interaction was found to have a significant effect ("environment" refers to that produced by the cropping regimen). The differences between populations in terms of yield and in response to management must be known if clones are to be selected for crop improvement. The sustainable use of high yield populations subject to the best cropping regimen could increase the profits associated with cultivation of this species.