The effect of alternative membrane system, sucrose, and culture methods under photosynthetic photon flux on growth and volatile compounds of mint in vitro

The aims of the present study were to evaluate the effects of different ventilation systems and sucrose concentrations on the growth, photosynthetic pigment content, and chemical composition of Mentha arvensis L. and M. viridis L. Photon flux (PPF) and growth were also evaluated based on M. arvensis heterotrophic, photomixotrophic, and photoautotrophic culture systems. Nodal segment explants were cultured on medium with 0, 15, and 30 g L−1 sucrose and four alternative membrane systems (AMS) in culture medium, namely no membrane (NMS), one (AMS1), two (AMS2), and four (AMS4) membranes. Mentha arvensis cultivation on medium containing 15 g L−1 of sucrose and four membrane (AMS4) led to the highest dry weight accumulation. Mentha viridis reached the same result with medium containing 30 g L−1 sucrose and AMS2 and AMS4. Mentha arvensis produced higher chlorophyll a, b and total chlorophyll, as well as carotenoids when cultured on medium with 30 g L−1 of sucrose and AMS4 and M. viridis when cultured on medium with 15 g L−1 of sucrose and AMS4. The NMS without sucrose favored higher pulegone and AMS4 induced higher menthol, menthone, and limonene from M. arvensis cultured in vitro. Furthermore, AMS2 induced menthol production and AMS1 increased trans-sabinene, linalol, and limonene content in M. viridis. Mentha arvensis plantlets cultivated under photoautotrophic system with 130 μmol m−2 s−1 showed improved growth and the highest leaf area. Thus, the recommendation to increase upper biomass and plantlet quality in mint species lies on employing an alternative membrane system under higher PPF.