Essential Oil Composition and Bioactive Properties of Lemon Balm Aerial Parts as Affected by Cropping System and Irrigation Regime

The ongoing climate crisis necessitates the sustainable use of natural resources and adoption environmentally friendly agronomic practices. Deficit irrigation is an ecofriendly technique that allows for improvement in water efficiency crops. On other hand, medicinal aromatic crops, which usually have innate tolerance to harsh conditions, are suitable candidates cultivation under low-input cropping systems. In present study, Melissa officinalis plants were cultivated conventional organic systems, while each system two regimes (full or deficit irrigation) tested. aerial parts evaluated terms growth physiological parameters, chemical composition, antioxidant activity, essential oil yield composition. Our results indicate prolonged stress after cycles had detrimental effects on plant biomass production, whereas it significantly increased yield, regardless (organic cultivation). recorded parameters agreement with morphological features, especially stomatal conductance, was reduced both revealing inhibition result closure carbon dioxide deprivation. also total phenol flavonoid content, second harvest, thus resulting higher activity assayed by FRAP method. contrast, DPPH ABTS methods did not show any differences among tested treatments suggests bioactive compounds involved overall mechanism lemon balm plants, as indicated ascorbic acid content. Regarding major detected geranial neral and, although they first same trend observed harvest. Finally, a variable effect regime minerals content recorded. conclusion, practice could be applied systems aiming reduce consumption compensate herb yields polyphenol