A study on tissue culture methods for stem segments of six mint varieties

Mint ( Mentha spp.) is one of the world’s major spice crops. Intraspecific and interspecific hybridization, along with artificial cultivation, have resulted in complex and diverse germplasm materials. To rapidly obtain genetically stable, sterile regenerated mint seedlings and establish a foundation for genetic transformation in mint germplasm improvement, this study used bud-bearing stem segments of the hybrid mint variety ‘Msu’ as explants. Through plant tissue culture methods, the effects of different hormone ratios and other conditions on plant regeneration were investigated. The results showed that surface sterilization of ‘Msu’ stem segments with 2% NaClO for 17 minutes achieved the best disinfection effect, with a sterility rate of 91.6%. The hormone combination of 1.0 mg/L 6-BA and 0.05 mg/L NAA in MS medium significantly induced axillary bud growth, achieving an induction rate of 100%. Additionally, 0.1 mg/L NAA effectively promoted adventitious root formation, with a rooting rate of 100%. Applying these optimized conditions to the tissue culture of five other mint varieties successfully produced regenerated seedlings, demonstrating broad applicability.