Chemical Diversity of Volatile Compounds of Mints from Southern Part of Pannonian Plain and Balkan Peninsula - New Data.

Mints are the most popular economic and traditional herbs. The aim of this article was chemical characterization of volatile compounds from wild populations of Mentha aquatica, M. arvensis, M. longifolia, M. microphylla, M. pulegium, M. spicata, M.×dumetorum, M.×gentillis and M.×verticillata, as well as cultivated samples of M. spicata, M.×piperita 'Alba' and M.×piperita 'Crispa'. Analyses were performed directly from dried aerial parts (herb) of collected samples by headspace gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. In total 54 compounds were detected, representing from 89.99 % to 99.66 % of volatile fractions of all investigated samples. The recorded volatiles were primarily monoterpene hydrocarbons and oxygenated monoterpenes, while oxygenated aromatic monoterpenes, sesquiterpene hydrocarbons and aliphatic compounds were present in lower concentrations in analyzed samples. The major components were linalool, limonene, 1,8-cineol, α-terpinyl acetate, pulegone, ß-pinene and menthol. The cluster analysis revealed five main groups or chemotypes according to qualitative and quantitative content of volatiles, as well as similarities among samples. These results contribute to the knowledge on the mints chemistry in Pannonian Plain and Balkan Peninsula.

Phylotranscriptomic Analyses Reveal Asymmetrical Gene Duplication Dynamics and Signatures of Ancient Polyploidy in Mints.

Ancient duplication events and retained gene duplicates have contributed to the evolution of many novel plant traits and, consequently, to the diversity and complexity within and across plant lineages. Although mounting evidence highlights the importance of whole-genome duplication (WGD; polyploidy) and its key role as an evolutionary driver, gene duplication dynamics and mechanisms, both of which are fundamental to our understanding of evolutionary process and patterns of plant diversity, remain poorly characterized in many clades. We use newly available transcriptomic data and a robust phylogeny to investigate the prevalence, occurrence, and timing of gene duplications in Lamiaceae (mints), a species-rich and chemically diverse clade with many ecologically, economically, and culturally important species. We also infer putative WGDs-an extreme mechanism of gene duplication-using large-scale data sets from synonymous divergence (KS), phylotranscriptomic, and divergence time analyses. We find evidence for widespread but asymmetrical levels of gene duplication and ancient polyploidy in Lamiaceae that correlate with species richness, including pronounced levels of gene duplication and putative ancient WGDs (7-18 events) within the large subclade Nepetoideae and up to 10 additional WGD events in other subclades. Our results help disentangle WGD-derived gene duplicates from those produced by other mechanisms and illustrate the nonuniformity of duplication dynamics in mints, setting the stage for future investigations that explore their impacts on trait diversity and species diversification. Our results also provide a practical context for evaluating the benefits and limitations of transcriptome-based approaches to inferring WGD, and we offer recommendations for researchers interested in investigating ancient WGDs in other plant groups.

Mentha suaveolens Ehrh. (Lamiaceae) Essential Oil and Its Main Constituent Piperitenone Oxide: Biological Activities and Chemistry.

Since herbal medicines play an important role in the treatment of a wide range of diseases, there is a growing need for their quality control and standardization. Mentha suaveolens Ehrh. (MS) is an aromatic herb with fruit and a spearmint flavor, used in the Mediterranean areas as a traditional medicine. It has an extensive range of biological activities, including cytotoxic, antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, hypotensive and insecticidal properties, among others. This study aims to review the scientific findings and research reported to date on MS that prove many of the remarkable various biological actions, effects and some uses of this species as a source of bioactive natural compounds. On the other hand, piperitenone oxide (PO), the major chemical constituent of the carvone pathway MS essential oil, has been reported to exhibit numerous bioactivities in cells and animals. Thus, this integrated overview also surveys and interprets the present knowledge of chemistry and analysis of this oxygenated monoterpene, as well as its beneficial bioactivities. Areas for future research are suggested.

Untangling reticulate evolutionary relationships among New World and Hawaiian mints (Stachydeae, Lamiaceae).

The phenomenon of polyploidy and hybridization usually results in novel genetic combinations, leading to complex, reticulate evolution and incongruence among gene trees, which in turn may show different phylogenetic histories than the inherent species tree. The largest tribe within the subfamily Lamioideae (Lamiaceae), Stachydeae, which includes the globally distributed Stachys, and one of the largest Hawaiian angiosperm radiations, the endemic mints, is a widespread and taxonomically challenging lineage displaying a wide spectrum of morphological and chromosomal diversity. Previous molecular phylogenetic studies have showed that while the Hawaiian mints group with Mexican-South American Stachys based on chloroplast DNA sequence data, nuclear ribosomal DNA (nrDNA) sequences suggest that they are most closely related to temperate North American Stachys. Here, we have utilized five independently inherited, low-copy nuclear loci, and a variety of phylogenetic methods, including multi-locus coalescence-based tree reconstructions, to provide insight into the complex origins and evolutionary relationships between the New World Stachys and the Hawaiian mints. Our results demonstrate incongruence between individual gene trees, grouping the Hawaiian mints with both temperate North American and Meso-South American Stachys clades. However, our multi-locus coalescence tree is concurrent with previous nrDNA results placing them within the temperate North American Stachys clade. Our results point toward a possible allopolyploid hybrid origin of the Hawaiian mints arising from temperate North American and Meso-South American ancestors, as well as a reticulate origin for South American Stachys. As such, our study is another significant step toward further understanding the putative parentage and the potential influence of hybridization and incomplete lineage sorting in giving rise to this insular plant lineage, which following colonization underwent rapid morphological and ecological diversification.

Natural control of corn postharvest fungi Aspergillus flavus and Penicillium sp. using essential oils from plants grown in Argentina.

The objective in this study was to evaluate the antifungal activity of essential oils from native and commercial aromatic plants grown in Argentina against corn postharvest fungi and to link the essential oil bioactivity with lipid oxidation and morphological changes in fungus cell membrane. Essential oil (EO) of oregano variety Mendocino (OMen), Cordobes (OCor), and Compacto (OCom), mint variety Inglesa (Mi), and Pehaujo (Mp), Suico (Sui); rosemary (Ro), and Aguaribay (Ag) were tested in vitro against 4 corn fungi: A. flavus (CCC116-83 and BXC01), P. oxalicum (083296), and P. minioluteum (BXC03). The minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) and the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) were determined. The chemical profiles of the EOs were analyzed by GC-MS. Lipid oxidation in cell membrane of fungi was determined by hydroperoxides and related with essential oil antifungal activity. The major compounds were Thymol in OCor (18.66%), Omen (12.18%), and OCom (9.44%); menthol in Mi and Mp; verbenone in Sui; dehydroxy-isocalamendiol in Ag; and eucaliptol in Ro. OCor, Omen, and OCom showed the best antifungal activity. No antifungal activity was observed in Ag and Ro EO. The hydroperoxide value depended on the fungi (P < 0.001) and the antimicrobial agent (P < 0.001).Membrane lipids were oxidized by Sui EO in A. flavus BXC01 and A. flavus CCC116-83 (0.021 and 0.027 meqO2 /kg, respectively). The results suggest that the EOs of OCor, OMen, OCom, Mi, Mp, and Sui grown in Argentina can be used as natural alternatives to control fungi that produce mycotoxin in maize.

In vitro anticancer activity of extracts of Mentha Spp. against human cancer cells.

In vitro anticancer potential of methanolic and aqueous extracts of whole plants of Mentha arvensis, M. longifolia, M. spicata and M. viridis at concentration of 100 µg/ml was evaluated against eight human cancer cell lines--A-549, COLO-205, HCT-116, MCF-7, NCI-H322, PC-3, THP-1 and U-87MG from six different origins (breast, colon, glioblastoma, lung, leukemia and prostate) using sulphorhodamine blue (SRB) assay. Methanolic extracts of above-mentioned Mentha Spp. displayed anti-proliferative effect in the range of 70-97% against four human cancer cell lines, namely COLO-205, MCF-7, NCI-H322 and THP-1; however, aqueous extracts were found to be active against HCT-116 and PC-3. The results indicate that Mentha Spp. contain certain constituents with cytotoxic properties which may find use in developing anticancer agents.

[Phenotypic and phytochemical differences between Mentha arvensis L. and Mentha canadiensis L].

A taxonomic study of anatomical, morphological, and phytochemical characteristics of Mentha arvensis L. and Mentha canadiensis L. using hierarchical cluster analysis has been conducted and the differences between the species studied have been revealed. The ratio between the lengths of the calyx tube and the calyx lobes, the number of secretory glands on the upper and lower surfaces of the leaf, and the composition of the essen- tial oil were shown to be the most appropriate parameters for classification.

Analysis of genetic variability and relationships among Mentha L. using the limonene synthase gene, LS.

The genus Mentha comprises a group of aromatic plants with worldwide distribution. Because of frequent interspecific hybridization, the genetic relationships within the genus are not clearly understood. Limonene synthase, which catalyses the first committed step in the essential oil monoterpene biosynthetic pathway, is considered to be a possible rate limiting enzyme. With the homology-based cloning method, primers were designed according to cDNA sequence to amplify full-length DNA sequences in 13 Mentha samples from five species, using Perilla as an outgroup. Analyses of gene structure, length variation, GC-content, Ts/Tv ratio and evolutionary diversity were carried out. Consensus phylogenetic trees were obtained using maximum likelihood, neighbor-joining, and maximum parsimony, respectively, based on the full-length genomic DNA sequences, complete ORF coding sequences and predicted amino acid sequences. The results presented here based on the sequence of MhLS provide the first credibly supported genetic relationships for Mentha, which enables a basis for further mint taxonomy, cultivation and breeding.

Variation of chemical composition of essential oils in wild populations of Thymus algeriensis Boiss. et Reut., a North African endemic species.

UNLABELLED: ABSBACKGROUND: Thymus algeriensis is an endemic aromatic plant to Tunisia largely used in folk medicine and as a culinary herb. The bulks aromatic plants come from wild populations whose essential oils compositions as well as their biological properties are severely affected by the geographical location and the phase of the plant development. Therefore, the aim of the present work is to provide more information on the variation of essential oil composition of T. algeriensis collected during the vegetative and the flowering phases and from eight different geographical regions. Besides, influence of population location and phenological stage on yield and metal chelating activity of essential oils is also assessed. METHODS: The essential oil composition of Thymus algeriensis was determined mainly by GC/FID and GC/MS. The chemical differentiation among populations performed on all compounds was assessed by linear discriminate analysis and cluster analysis based on Euclidean distance. RESULTS: A total of 71 compounds, representing 88.99 to 99.76% of the total oil, were identified. A significant effect of the population location on the chemical composition variability of T. algeriensis oil was observed. Only 18 out of 71 compounds showed a statistically significant variation among population locations and phenological stages. Chemical differentiation among populations was high. Minor compounds play an important role to distinguish between chemical groups. Five chemotypes according to the major compounds have been distinguished. Chemotypes distribution is linked to the population location and not to bioclimate, indicating that local selective environmental factors acted on the chemotype diversity. CONCLUSIONS: The major compounds at the species level were α-pinene (7.41-13.94%), 1,8-cineole (7.55-22.07%), cis-sabinene hydrate (0.10-12.95%), camphor (6.8-19.93%), 4-terpineol (1.55-11.86%), terpenyl acetate (0-14.92%) and viridiflorol (0-11.49%). Based on major compounds, the populations were represented by (α-pinene/1,8-cineole/cis-sabinene hydrate/camphor/viridiflorol), (1,8-cineole/camphor/terpenyl acetate), (α-pinene/1,8-cineole/camphor), (1,8-cineole/camphor/4-terpineol) and (α-pinene/1,8-cineole/cis-sabinene hydrate/camphor/4-terpineol) chemotypes. Variation of phenological stage did not have a statistically significant effect on the yield and metal chelating activity of the essential oil. These results can be used to investigate the geographical location and the harvesting time of this plant for relevant industries.

Seasonal variation in content, chemical composition and antimicrobial and cytotoxic activities of essential oils from four Mentha species.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the present study was to appraise variation in the chemical composition, and antimicrobial and cytotoxic activities of essential oils from the leaves of four Mentha species-M. arvensis, M. piperita, M. longifolia and M. spicata-as affected by harvesting season. Disc diffusion and broth microdilution susceptibility assays were used to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of Mentha essential oils against a panel of microorganisms. The cytotoxicity of essential oils was tested on breast cancer (MCF-7) and prostate cancer (LNCaP) cell lines using the MTT assay. RESULTS: The essential oil contents of M. arvensis, M. piperita, M. longifolia and M. spicata were 17.0, 12.2, 10.8 and 12.0 g kg(-1) from the summer and 9.20, 10.5, 7.00 and 9.50 g kg(-1) from the winter crops, respectively. Gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric analysis revealed that mostly quantitative rather than qualitative variation was observed in the oil composition of each species. The principal chemical constituents determined in M. arvensis, M. piperita, M. longifolia and M. spicata essential oils from both seasons were menthol, menthone, piperitenone oxide and carvone, respectively. The tested essential oils and their major components exhibited notable antimicrobial activity against most of the plant and human pathogens tested. The tested essential oils also exhibited good cytotoxicity potential. CONCLUSION: Of the Mentha essential oils tested, M. arvensis essential oil showed relatively better antimicrobial and cytotoxic activities. A significant variation in the content of most of the chemical components and biological activities of seasonally collected samples was documented.

Influência do cultivo em consórcio na produção de fitomassa e óleo essencial de manjericão (Ocimum basilicum L. ) e hortelã (Mentha x villosa Huds. ) / Influence of intercropping on phytomass and essential oil production in basil (Ocimum basilicum L. ) and mint (Mentha x villosa Huds. )

As plantas medicinais produzem seus princípios ativos de acordo com os estímulos do ambiente, por isso a presença de outras plantas pode comprometer a produção dos metabólicos secundários. Assim, o presente trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar o efeito do cultivo consorciado sobre a produção de fitomassa e o teor de óleo essencial de manjericão (Ocimum basilicum L.) e hortelã (Mentha x villosa Huds.). O experimento foi conduzido na área experimental do Núcleo de Ciências Agrárias da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Campus Regional de Montes Claros- MG. O delineamento utilizado foi o de blocos casualizados, com doze repetições, compreendendo seis tratamentos: manjericão + cenoura, manjericão + alface, manjericão solteiro, hortelã + cenoura, hortelã + alface e hortelã solteira. A produção de fitomassa e óleo essencial da hortelã não foram influenciados pelos tratamentos. Para o manjericão, apenas a massa fresca variou significativamente com os tratamentos.

Medicinal plants produce their active principles according to environmental stimuli; thus, the presence of other plants may affect the synthesis of secondary compounds. The present work aimed to evaluate the effect of intercropping on phytomass and essential oil production in basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) and mint (Mentha x villosa Huds.). The study was carried out in the experimental field of the Center for Agriculture, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Montes Claros Campus, Minas Gerais State, Brazil. The experimental design was in randomized blocks, with twelve replicates and six treatments: basil + carrot, basil + lettuce, sole crop of basil, mint + carrot, mint + lettuce, and sole crop of mint. Phytomass and essential oil production in mint were not affected by the treatments. As regards basil, only fresh matter significantly varied with treatments.

Teor e composição química do óleo essencial de Hyptis marrubioides Epling (Lamiaceae) em diferentes genótipos / Essential oil content and chemical composition in Hyptis marrubioides Epl. of different genotypes

Hyptis marrubioides Epling (hortelã-do-campo) é espécie de uso medicinal conhecida pelas suas atividades contra infecções gastrointestinais, infecções de pele, dores e câimbras. Objetivou-se com este trabalho, avaliar o teor e composição química do óleo essencial de H. marrubioides em diferentes genótipos (roxo e branco) e partes da planta fresca (folhas, inflorescências e caule). Os genótipos estudados foram identificados através das inflorescências das plantas que apresentam coloração roxa e branca. O delineamento experimental foi inteiramente casualizado, contendo as três partes da planta de ambos os genótipos, perfazendo um fatorial 3x2, com quatro repetições. O óleo essencial foi extraído por hidrodestilação por duas horas e analisado por Cromatografia Gasosa acoplada a Espectrometria de Massas (CG-EM). O maior teor de óleo essencial foi observado na inflorescência do genótipo roxo. A composição do óleo essencial de H. marrubioides variou quantitativamente entre as partes das plantas analisadas e entre os genótipos. O composto α-tujona apresentou a maior porcentagem de área do pico nas inflorescências de genótipo roxo. As porcentagens das plantas com genótipo roxo foram em média superiores às plantas com genótipo branco.

Hyptis marrubioides Epling ("hortelã-do-campo") is a medicinal species known for its activities against gastrointestinal and skin infections, pains and cramps. The aim of this work was to evaluate essential oil content and chemical composition in H. marrubioides of different genotypes (purple and white), as well as fresh plant parts (leaves, inflorescences and stem). The studied genotypes were identified based on the inflorescences, which are purple and white. The experimental design was completely randomized, including the three parts of both genotypes, in a 3X2 factorial arrangement, with four replicates. Essential oil was extracted through hydrodistillation for two hours and analyzed using Gas Chromatography attached to a Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). The highest essential oil content was found for the inflorescence of purple genotype. Hyptis marrubioides essential oil composition quantitatively varied among the analyzed plant parts and between genotypes. The compound α-thujone had the highest percentage of apex area in inflorescences of purple genotype. The percentages of purple genotype were on average higher than those of white one.

Mentha L. species (Lamiaceae) as promising sources of bioactive secondary metabolites.

The use of mint species in traditional and conventional medicine is mostly due to the presence of two classes of secondary bimolecules: monoterpenoids in essential oils and different structural types of phenolic compounds. Essential oils are known to act as antimicrobial, antispasmodic, carminative, and antiviral agents. In addition, essential oils of several mint species have been recently qualified as natural antioxidants. However, since oil composition is highly variable, the pharmacological activity strongly depends on certain chemorace. On the contrary, composition of phenolic constituents is relatively stable within species. The most important phenolic compounds in Mentha species are flavonoids. Mints are characterized by the presence of specific lipophilic flavonoids. Phenolic compounds of mints are found to poses a wide range of pharmacological activity: antioxidant, antiulcer, cytoprotective, heptoprotective, cholagogue, chemopreventive, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetogenic etc. However, besides healing properties some mint species can exhibit an adverse effect on human health. Here we report on botany, chemistry and activity of Mentha species with special respect to their significance for the modern phytotherapy.

Polyglutamine variation in a flowering time protein correlates with island age in a Hawaiian plant radiation.

BACKGROUND: A controversial topic in evolutionary developmental biology is whether morphological diversification in natural populations can be driven by expansions and contractions of amino acid repeats in proteins. To promote adaptation, selection on protein length variation must overcome deleterious effects of multiple correlated traits (pleiotropy). Thus far, systems that demonstrate this capacity include only ancient or artificial morphological diversifications. The Hawaiian Islands, with their linear geological sequence, present a unique environment to study recent, natural radiations. We have focused our research on the Hawaiian endemic mints (Lamiaceae), a large and diverse lineage with paradoxically low genetic variation, in order to test whether a direct relationship between coding-sequence repeat diversity and morphological change can be observed in an actively evolving system. RESULTS: Here we show that in the Hawaiian mints, extensive polyglutamine (CAG codon repeat) polymorphism within a homolog of the pleiotropic flowering time protein and abscisic acid receptor FCA tracks the natural environmental cline of the island chain, consequent with island age, across a period of 5 million years. CAG expansions, perhaps following their natural tendency to elongate, are more frequent in colonists of recently-formed, nutrient-rich islands than in their forebears on older, nutrient-poor islands. Values for several quantitative morphological variables related to reproductive investment, known from Arabidopsis fca mutant studies, weakly though positively correlate with increasing glutamine tract length. Together with protein modeling of FCA, which indicates that longer polyglutamine tracts could induce suboptimally mobile functional domains, we suggest that CAG expansions may form slightly deleterious alleles (with respect to protein function) that become fixed in founder populations. CONCLUSION: In the Hawaiian mint FCA system, we infer that contraction of slightly deleterious CAG repeats occurred because of competition for resources along the natural environmental cline of the island chain. The observed geographical structure of FCA variation and its correlation with morphologies expected from Arabidopsis mutant studies may indicate that developmental pleiotropy played a role in the diversification of the mints. This discovery is important in that it concurs with other suggestions that repetitive amino acid motifs might provide a mechanism for driving morphological evolution, and that variation at such motifs might permit rapid tuning to environmental change.

Iron and magnesium concentrations of mint accessions (Mentha spp.).

Plant foods can contribute significantly to human nutrition and health, because they contain almost all essential human nutrients. However, nutrient composition varies among different plant foods. Improvement of nutritional quality of our food supply, especially with respect to essential nutrient minerals, such as magnesium, iron and zinc, could be an important goal of vegetable crops. There is little information available on essential mineral concentration of mint (Mentha spp.). This study was conducted to evaluate some micronutrient minerals of twelve Iranian mint accessions, three of which belonging to Mentha longifolia (Mzin5, Mzin6 and Mzin11) and the remaining were Mentha spicata L species (Mzin1, Mzin2, Mzin3, Mzin4, Mzin7, Mzin8, Mzin9, Mzin10, and Mzin12). This report is assigned to two essential human nutrients, iron (Fe) and magnesium (Mg) concentrations of two mint herbage harvests in 12 mint clones within each of two studied years. Results of analysis of variance indicated a significant difference among accessions and a non-significant difference between species for Mg and Fe concentrations. Mean comparisons showed that Mzin2, Mzin12 (both belong to M. spicata) and Mzin6 (belongs to M. longifolia) possess the highest Fe concentration. Furthermore, Mzins 5, 6 and 11 belong to M. longifolia as well as Mzins 2 and 10 belong to M. spicata did not significantly differ and all included the first ranking group for Mg concentration. Fe concentration averaged on the first harvest ranged from 134mg/kg for Mzin4 genotype (belongs to M. spicata) to 210mg/kg to for Mzin5 genotype (belongs to M. longifolia), while Fe concentration at the second harvest varied from 315mg/kg for Mzin1 to 582mg/kg for Mzin12. At the first harvest, Mg concentration ranged from 748mg/kg for Mzin1 to 1174 for Mzin5. At the second harvest, Mg concentration varied from 1171mg/kg for Mzin9 to 1618mg/kg for Mzin11. It is hence concluded that the magnesium and iron concentrations of Mentha species are comparable to those reported for other leafy vegetable crops. Therefore, this is evidence that this herb is rich in some essential nutrient minerals, especially Fe and Mg which are essential for human health.

"Mints", smells and traditional uses in Thessaloniki (Greece) and other Mediterranean countries.

The herbs of the "mint" group traded in the herbal market of Thessaloniki include eight taxa, members of two genera, Acinos (two species) and Mentha (four species and two hybrids). The essential oil content of 72 samples examined ranged from traces up to 1.69ml/100g of dry weight. Besides three almost scentless samples, the different "mints" are distinguished according to their prominent smell differences, i.e. samples with a pungent, musty and sweet type of smell. As a result, the commercial names attributed to them correspond to a particular type of smell and not to a particular taxon. A number of 29 medicinal uses were recorded in total. In most cases uses were not associated with particular taxa but were rather determined by plant smells. A literature survey has shown that the "mints" traded in Thessaloniki are also used as herbal medicines all over the Mediterranean area, with 67 different therapeutic uses. Among them the 22 uses, already mentioned by Dioscurides, show that the utilization of "mints" as herbal medicines in the Mediterranean countries has a long tradition.

Heterogeneity of three molecular data partition phylogenies of mints related to M. x piperita (Mentha; Lamiaceae).

Phylogenetic reconstructions with molecular tools are now widely used, thanks to advances in PCR and sequencing technologies. The choice of the molecular target still remains a problem because too few comparative data are available. This is particularly true for hybrid taxa, where differential introgression of genome parts leads to incongruity between data sets. We have studied the potential of three data partitions to reconstruct the phylogeny of mints related to M. x piperita. These included nuclear DNA (ITS), chloroplast DNA (non-coding regions trnL intron, intergenic spacers trnL-trnF, and psbA-trnH), and AFLP and ISSR, markers. The taxonomic sampling was composed of hybrids, diploid and polyploid genomes. Since the genealogy of cultivated mint hybrids is known, they represent a model group to compare the usefulness of various molecular markers for phylogeny inference. Incongruities between ITS, chloroplast DNA, and AFLP-ISSR phylogenetic trees were recorded, although DNA fingerprinting data were congruent with morphological classification. Evidence of chloroplast capture events was obtained for M. x piperita. Direct sequencing of ITS led to biased results because of the existence of pseudogenes. Sequencing of cloned ITS further failed to provide evidence of the existence of the two parental copy types for M. x piperita, a sterile hybrid that has had no opportunity for concerted evolution of ITS copies. AFLP-ISSR data clustered M. x piperita with the parent that had the largest genome. This study sheds light on differential of introgression of different genome regions in mint hybrids.

Chemotaxonomy of mints of genus Mentha by applying Raman spectroscopy.

The characterization of mints is often problematic because Mentha is a taxonomically complex genus. In order to provide a fast and easy characterization method, we use a combination of micro-Raman spectroscopy and hierarchical cluster analysis. A classification trial of different mint taxa is possible for one collection time. For spectra measured at different points during the growing season, a more sophisticated pretreatment of the data is necessary to receive good discrimination between the species, as well as between the subspecies and varieties of the mints.