Salicylic Acid and Melatonin Alleviate the Effects of Heat Stress on Essential Oil Composition and Antioxidant Enzyme Activity in Mentha × piperita and Mentha arvensis L.

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate changes in the chemical profile of essential oils and antioxidant enzymes activity (catalase CAT, superoxide dismutase SOD, Glutathione <i>S</i>-transferases GST, and Peroxidase POX) in <i>Mentha × piperita</i> L. (Mitcham variety) and <i>Mentha arvensis</i> L. (var. <i>piperascens</i>), in response to heat stress. In addition, we used salicylic acid (SA) and melatonin (M), two brassinosteroids that play an important role in regulating physiological processes, to assess their potential to mitigate heat stress. In both species, the heat stress caused a variation in the composition of the essential oils and in the antioxidant enzymatic activity. Furthermore both Salicylic acid (SA) and melatonin (M) alleviated the effect of heat stress.