MINT

Introduction
Mints belong to the genus Mentha, in the family Labiatae (Lamiaceae) which includes
other commonly grown essential oil-yielding plants such as basil, sage, rosemary,
marjoram, lavender, pennyroyal and thyme. Within the genus Mentha there are several
commercially grown species, varying in their major chemical content, aroma and end
use. Their oils and derived aroma compounds are traded world-wide.
Mint has origins in the Mediterranean region though there are also various species that
have originated from Asia. The most common species include spearmint, peppermint,
Japanese mint and Bergamont.
In Tanzania mint is grown in Arusha, Tanga, Morogoro, Songwe and Mbeya regions.
Other regions also produce but small quantities.
Mint is used in many culinary preparations in its fresh or dried form. Many personal care
products contain mint as an ingredient. Things such as toothpaste, shaving gels,
chewing gums, breath fresheners, candies, teas, balms, oils, and inhalers with a mint
flavor are the most used. Due to its fresh taste, the mint extract is often paired with
cakes, cookies, nutrition supplements, sugar-free products, and energy bars. Mint oil is
used in ice-creams and chocolates. Mint syrup is used in alcoholic and non-alcoholic
beverages.

IDEAL CONDITIONS FOR MINT PRODUCTION

Climate
Mint can grow in tropical and subtropical areas receiving annual rainfall of 1000 –
1500mm. A temperature of 20 - 25⁰C promotes vegetative growth, but the essential oil
and menthol are reported to increase at a higher temperature of 30 ⁰C. However, for
some species (Peppermint and spearmint) above 40 0C in tropical and sun tropical areas
cannot be grown profitably.

Soil
Mint grows well in most soil types, including heavy, moist soils if drainage is sufficient.
The best soils are deep, well-drained, rich in humus, with good moisture retention. The
soil should have a good water-holding capacity, but waterlogging should be avoided.
Soil samples are taken for analysis to determine base fertility levels before mint is
planted. The soil pH should be kept between 5.5 – 7.5 range.

Land Preparation
Mint is shallow-rooted crop and requires loose-textured soils for good root penetration
and growth. It requires thoroughly ploughed and harrowed fine soil. All the stubble of
weeds should be removed before the crop is planted. Manuring may be done at the
time of land preparation by incorporating FYM of 25 to 30 t/ha. Green manuring may
also be done before the mint is planted.

Mints can be planted on flat land, ridges or beds. Hence, flat beds of convenient sizes
or ridges are made according to the spacing recommended. Beds are generally
prepared with specification of 1 meter in width whereas length of beds varies from 5 –
30 meters depending on farm size and management. It is important to leave the space
between beds at least 50 – 75 cm as path for easy management of the farm.

Propagation
Mint varieties are propagated vegetatively by using the underground stolons (runners or
rootstock) from a nursery site or clean mother plant farm or plant. The stolons should
be handled with care due to the fact that they deteriorate quickly after detach from the
mother plant. Stolons can be planted by hand or mechanically and should not have too
much top growth. 1 ha of mother farm can supply propagules to cover 7 - 10 ha new
farm depending on the spacing used. 400 kg of stolons are required for planting one
hectare of land.

Planting
Mint are planted directly in the field the same way like planting sweet potatoes. Health
cuttings ranging from 20-30cm which are disease free and true to variety are selected
for field planting. Stolons are planted in shallow furrows 7-10 cms deep in a raised
bed which is 1m wide. The spacing between one bed and another is 50 cm. The 20-
30cm stolons are planted horizontally leaving 5 cm of stem appearing above the soil .
The rows should be spaced 15 cm apart and 10 cm within plant in the bed. With this
spacing the beds will appear filled with plants even before the stolons have sprouted.
This practice will give a total of 55, 000 - 75, 000 plants per ha

Fertilizer Application
The soil should have at least 120 kg phosphorus and 500 kg potassium available per ha.
If the soil sample indicates levels lower than what is recommended, fertilizer should be
applied before planting. Mint has to be fertilized properly to achieve a good crop as they
can stay in the field for up to three years under good management. Nitrogen
fertilization is essential for foliage stimulation and improving the flavour and quality of
the oil at the end especially if the leaves are distilled.

Fertilizer rates are generally high compared to many field crops in order to allow good
vegetative growth and development of the maximum number of leaves. Frequent
nitrogen applications are required throughout the growing season to maintain soil
fertility. When manure farm yard manure or organic compost is used, it should be well
decomposed in order to get ride of weed seeds and disease pathogens. The quality of
the manure or compost has a great effect on the characteristics of the oil.

Irrigation
Mint requires frequent and adequate irrigation which is used to supplement rainfall.
When the plants are fully developed, they are watered at least three times a week. It is
important to keep the soil constantly moist, although well drained. The crop has high
water demands dry and hot season. Care has to be taken to prevent a waterlogged soil,
especially in cooler season, as this will influence growth. Mint can be grown under flood
and sprinkler irrigation. Avoid over head sprinkler irrigation as may favour development
of many fungal diseases

Weeding

Weed control should be maintained strictly as weeds compete with mint for available
nutrients, thereby reducing yields. Care should be taken when harvesting to avoid
inclusion of weeds, which could result in volatile compounds being extracted and
reducing the oil quality. Certain weed species are more harmful and can reduce the
marketability of the oil. Amaranthus spp. (pigweed) and Datura spp. (thorn apple) can
reduce oil quality severely. Hand removal of weeds may be necessary and done from
time to time as weeds emerge. Always remove the weeds in time before they form
seed. Annual grasses can be a problem too and have to be removed before they grow
too tall. Perennial weeds are sometimes a bigger problem, especially the Cyperus spp.
(nut sedges) and couch grass. It is more difficult to control these grasses by using
mechanical means when the crop is established. Using chemicals to control weeds iis
not recommended as the chemicals may compromise and affect essential oil quality of
the mint.

Pinching of the plants.

When the mint is established, it is pinched at least 10-15 cm from the ground in order
to encourage/produce more lateral shoots which will produce more plants which will be
consequently harvested. In this way more yield will be obtained

MINT PESTS

Insect Symptoms Control

Cutworm  The larvae feed on all portions  Picking up plant detritus is

of the plant, but are usually another good option since the
found under the canopy rather eggs that hatch into cutworms
than on the top of the plants. are laid on dead plant material.
 Taking out weeds and early
 It is not uncommon, however, planting also help to prevent
to find larvae feeding on the cutworm infestations
terminal buds. Plowing or cultivating the soil
well is a big help since it kills the
 The mature variegated cutworm larvae in soil.
larva is about 2 inches and  Use of insecticide Chlorpyrifos
varies from pale gray to dull show effective in control
brown cutworm
Spider Mites  The mite associated with  Sticky traps can help capture
causing mint damage is the adult and reduce spider mite
Two-Spotted Spider Mite. population.
 These small (~3-4 mm)  Avoid planting mint next to
translucent-colored pests live on onions, garlic or cereals where
the undersides of mint leaves very large numbers of thrips can
and generally cluster towards build up.
the top of new growths.  Use reflective mulches help to
 Thriving in hot and arid reduce spider mite infestation.
conditions, spider mites cause  Use of insecticides like
damage by piercing tiny holes in Dudumectin, Abamectin,
leaf cells. Profenofos.
 They'll make their presence
known by causing speckled
discoloration on leaves and
leaving behind a thin webbing
that is much like a spider's

Loopers  Both the Alfalfa and Cabbage  Pick caterpillars by hand and
Looper are pests of the mint destroy them.
Mint plants plant, with the latter being the  Use biopesticides such as neem-
suffering from more common of the two. based products or Bt.
flea beetles  Loopers are foliage-consuming  Use of insecticide Chlorpyrifos
are easily caterpillars that reach 1 – 2
spotted, as the inches in length and are
beetles normally varying shades of
green.
 They cause significant damage
by consuming large portions of
leaves and stems.
 Instead of being called a
caterpillar or worm, loopers get
their name from their unique
'curling' or 'looping' movement.

Flea Beetles  Mint plants suffering from flea  Placing sticky traps near your
beetles are easily spotted, as plants can capture flea beetles.
the beetles will jump from the  Spray your leaves with neem oil
 plant's leaves when disturbed. or Nimbecidine insecticide
 These small (~1.5 cm) beetles
are a shiny black/bronze color.
 They cause damage by chewing
small holes through the leaves.
 These holes will often show up
in clusters

Aphids  These small insects like to  Reflective mulches can deter

attack the leaves of plants and
suck out their sap.
 A sign of aphids is when your
plant leaves begin to curl and
turn yellow.
 You may also notice a sooty
mold on your plants.
 This is the result of aphids
secreting honeydew
some aphids.
 Something bright and shiny in
color can keep them away.
 Use of insecticides with
imidacloprid.
 Introduce beneficial bugs, like
lacewings and ladybugs

Thrips  A sign of their presence is the  Sticky traps can help capture
curling or distortion of leaves adult thrips.
 Avoid planting next to onions,
garlic or cereals where very large
numbers of thrips can build up.
 Use reflective mulches.
 Use of insecticides like
Dudumectin, Abamectin,
Profenofos.

Whiteflies  Whiteflies can seriously injure
plants by sucking juices from
them, causing leaves to yellow,
shrivel, and drop prematurely.
 Whiteflies excrete “honeydew,”
a sweet substance that forms a
sticky coating on leaves. The
honeydew is soon colonized by
a fungus called “sooty mold,”
making leaves look black and
dirty.
 Hang yellow sticky traps above
the plants.
 Hand pick older leaves, on which
most of the whitefly will sit, and
destroy.
 Encourage predators and other
natural enemies of whitefly such
as ladybirds, wasps and ground
beetles.
 Use insecticide like Imida C,
Snowcyper, Dudu – ethoate or
  Generally sooty mold is Evisect.
harmless except when it is
extremely abundant and
prevents light from reaching leaf
surfaces, causing plants to
become stressed

Mint Diseases

Disease Symptoms Control

Mint rust  Pale and distorted shoots  Use disease-free planting

in spring stock.
 Practice crop rotation to break
 Dusty orange pustules disease cycle.
on the stems and leaves.  All plant debris or plant
diseased parts should be kept
 Pustule may change to away (field sanitation to
dusty yellow or black in discourage re-infestation.
colour in later stage  Thinning your mint stand will
allow better air circulation that
 Large areas of leaf tissue
can dry out rust fungus
die and plants may lose
without the use of fungicide.
leaves
 Use of fungicide with
Azoxystrobin

Verticillium wilt  Symptoms first appear in  Eliminating field-to-field

the foliage at the top of movement un- infected plant
the plant. material and infected plant
material.
 Symptomatic upper  Cleaning all equipment and
leaves are sickle-shaped vehicles entering mint fields
and initially chlorotic or  Use certified Verticillium-free
red, soon becoming stock for new plantings.
necrotic.  Rotate infested fields with
corn and alfalfa.
 Premature defoliation  Prune off dead and dying
and death of the plant branches.
can result.  Soil solarization, Soil
fumigation, along with cultural
  Vascular discoloration in control methods, may help to
stems and roots may be control wilt.
observed and diseased
plants are often stunted.

Anthracnose  The fungus causes small,  Picking up and disposing of all

sunken brown spots to diseased plant parts, including
appear on the lower twigs and leaves.
leaves and stems.  Proper pruning techniques to
rid trees and plants of old and
 These spots enlarge to dead wood also helps with
form oval lesions with prevention of anthracnose
light gray centers and fungus.
reddish-brown borders,  Use of mulching around the
and may unite. plants and use drip irrigation
to reduce splashes of spores
 Mint anthracnose may onto the plants by rain or
cause defoliation and irrigation.
cankers, which may lead  Use of copper based fungicide
to splitting of the stem.

 Heavily-infected plants
are weakened and oil
yields are reduced.

 Anthracnose may
become severe during
wet seasons when the
mint foliage is wet for
long periods.

Powdery mildew  Powdery white patches  Remove diseased foliage from

are developed on the the plant and clean up fallen
upper and lower surfaces debris on the ground.
of the leaves and stems.  Prune or stake plants to
improve air circulation.
 Under favourable  Use a thick layer of mulch or
conditions, the disease organic compost to cover the
causes severe losses. soil after you have raked and
cleaned it well.
 It also reduces the oil.  Mulch will prevent the
disease spores from splashing
 back up onto the leaves.
 Use a slow-release, organic
fertilizer on crops and avoid
excess nitrogen.
 Soft, leafy, new growth is
most susceptible.
 Apply sulfur or copper-based
fungicides to prevent infection
of susceptible plants

Black Stem Rot  Symptoms of infection  Proper crop rotation. It is

include dark brown or better to follow 3-year-crop
black cankers on stems. rotation with rice, wheat and
mint.
 Cankers may girdle the  It is safer to discard all the
stem and cause plant diseased stolons while
parts above the infection planting and treat the stolons
to wilt and die with 0.25% solution of Captan

Stem and stolon  It first manifests as  Good plant care can boost the
canker reddish-brown lesions on survival chances of your mint
stems and stolons. plant
 With time lesions will  Apply copper-based fungicide
develop into sunken during the growth period
cankers and turn darker.
 Eventually, the disease
will spread to the foliage.
 It’ll start with lower
leaves, causing black
spots, stunting, and
distortion.
 Affected leaves usually
turn yellow and may
defoliate.
 Stem and stolon canker
can wreak havoc on your
mint’s nutrient supply.
 It will show signs of
withering and shriveling.
 Mint Leaf Blight  Cause black spots on the  Avoiding wetting the leaves by
leaves. overhead irrigation.
 The most common cause  Fungicide use contain
of leaf blight is a severe tebuconazole or Azoxystrobin
outbreak of mint rust. shows effectiveness in control.
 The fungus  Thinning to open up the plant
Cephalosporium spp. foe better air circulation help
 causes it, and it is to reduce disease
typically spread through development
water splashes.
 The symptoms begin as
irregular black spots on
the lower foliage.
 It then splatters black
spots all over the leaves.
 The infected leaves will
quickly die and fall off.
 The affected stems may
also die and begin to rot.
 Mint leaf blight typically
spreads via cuttings and
newly homed plants.

Harvesting and Post-Harvest Handling

Maturity index
Mint is mature for harvest 2 -3 months after planting the stolons under good
management. At this time the stolons have not yet flowered and leaves has just
changed colour from pale green to purple depending on the variety. Timing of harvest
is critical to the quality of the oil. Preharvest sampling can be done to ensure that
harvesting occurs when oil quality is best. Optimum oil yield and quality is usually
obtained when 10 % of the crop is mature

Harvesting

Harvesting should be carried out on a dry, sunny day, in the late morning, when all
traces of dew have disappeared. It is very important to make a clean cut without
splintering the stems or shattering of the leaves as this will result in lower oil yields and
inhibit re growth of the plants. Unlike other essential oil plants, oil yield of mint will
decrease rapidly if the plant is subjected to either physiological or pathological stress
Harvesting is done by pinching/cutting the stolons which have the length between
20-30 cm by using a pair of scissors while taking care not to harvest more than two
thirds from a single plant to avoid shocking the growing mint plant. Harvesting tools
should be kept clean to minimize the chance of transmitting plant diseases to your
mint.

Postharvest Handling Practices

Mint Value addition
Mint is traditionally sold as fresh leaves. The profits are good – but could be better, if
producers could deliver value-added products. The simplest of these is dried mint –
fresh leaves are shade-dried, packed, and sold in urban markets, typically for a 250%
profit. Alternatively, fresh mint leaves are distilled to produce mint water (distillate) or
mint oil

Drying
 Mint herbage should be shade dried for about a day before it is distilled. Care
should be taken so that decomposition of the herbage does not initiate during
the drying process.
 There would be some reduction in oil yield if wilted herbage crop is stored for a
longer period of 2-3 days. As such, storage of herbage for a longer period is not
recommended.
 Properly dried and stored mint can retain its fragrance and flavor for around 1 to
3 years.

Sorting and Distillation

 After harvesting mint, remove the unwanted materials including non-mint
material and damaged leaves.
 The crop is steam distilled and the steam/oil vapour is condensed and separated.
condensing and separation equipment should be manufactured from stainless
steel and a general processing hygiene followed to ensure no contaminants are
present.
 The time for oil extraction varies, depending on the type of steam source, the
herb weight, and the moisture content.
Packaging

 Currently, the main reason fresh herbs are packaged and marketed in plastic
bags or films is to reduce water loss.
 Culinary herbs like mint grown for the local wholesale and fresh retail market are
packed in a variety of ways, the simplest being to wrap herb bunches in plastic
film to provide some protection against water loss.
 The most common method is to bulk package fresh herbs (1 - 3 kg), either
directly into a Styrofoam box or waxed cartons which are covered with paper or
plastic.
 Approximately 70% of growers and distributors packed their herbs inside
perforated polyethylene or polypropylene bags which are then placed in waxed
cartons.

Storage
 Temperature for fresh mint is close to 0°C and relative humidity of 95% and it
maintain best quality over 10 - 14 days and still in good condition after 4 weeks.
 Expected shelf-life is 3 weeks at 0°C and 2 weeks at 5°C on water loss, a shelf-
life

Importance of mint
Mint is commonly used in many countries to treat a range of problems – indigestion,
stomach cramps, flatulence, diarrhea, vomiting, joint pains, colic. Many of these
problems are common in Afghanistan, partly because of a lack of safe drinking water.
Hospitals and pharmacies are limited, so both rural and urban populations rely heavily
on alternative therapies – creating a huge opportunity for mint growers

Markets for mint

Mint is a genus of aromatic herbs (Mentha), found almost worldwide, and used in a
range of products: foods, chewing gum, cosmetics, medicines and many others. It is
used (and traded) mainly to add flavour to tea, vegetables and meat. But there is an
even larger potential market – herbal medicines.