ABSTRACT
The fruit of Lycium barbarum L. (FLB) is a food and medicinal herb. Identifying suitable production regions for this plant would be beneficial to its cultivation and production. In this study, the Maxent model was used to identify ecologically suitable regions for the growth of L. barbarum L. In addition, based on its chemical composition, the suitable regions for production were identified by literature analysis and chemometrics. The results show that suitable regions for L. barbarum L. culture are mainly distributed in the northwest of China; suitable regions for the production of medicinal FLB were mainly concentrated in the district of Ningxia, Baiyin, Jiuquan and Zhangye of Gansu, and parts district in west of Inner Mongolia. All are the traditional production regions for FLB, which is consistent with the good quality of FLB produced in Ganzhou in ancient times, and the genuine medicinal materials of FLB produced in Zhongning of Ningxia today. The suitable regions for edible FLB were mainly distributed in northwest of Qinghai, Jiuquan and Zhangye of Gansu, as well as Aksu and Kizi sukirgiz of Xinjiang. The fruit type index of FLB in these regions is large, and the content of fructose and glucose in the fruit is high, which satisfies the edible commodity property. The study results lay a foundation for realizing the regional distribution and development of L. barbarum based on its different uses.