PLANT PERFORMANCE AND WATER-USE OF PEPPERMINT TREATED WITH METHANOL AND GLYCINE

Methanol applied to foliage has been reported to reduce water use of C 3 crops. Two field experiments on peppermint measured both plant perfo rmance and soil water depletion for methanol, glycine, and an untreate d control. No differences were found in dry matter yield, oil yield, p lant height, leaf weight, or water use. Preliminary phytotoxicity stud ies showed no toxicity or necrosis at concentrations up to 99 percent methanol applied at a rate of 187 L/ha in the field.