[Isolation and identification of chemical constituents from aerial parts of Glycyrrhiza uralensis].

The present study investigated the chemical constituents from the aerial parts of Glycyrrhiza uralensis. The ethanol extract of the aerial parts of G. uralensis was separated and purified by different column chromatographies such as macroporous resin, silica gel, and Sephadex LH-20, and through preparative HPLC and recrystallization. Thirteen compounds were isolated and identified as(2S)-6-[(Z)-3-hydroxymethyl-2-butenyl]-5,7,3'-trihydroxy-4'-methoxy-dihydroflavanone(1),(2S)-8-[(E)-3-hydroxymethyl-2-butenyl]-5,7,3',5'-tetrahydroxy-dihydroflavanone(2), α,α'-dihydro-5,4'-dihydroxy-3-acetoxy-2-isopentenylstilbene(3), 6-prenylquercetin(4), 6-prenylquercetin-3-methyl ether(5), formononetin(6), 3,3'-dimethylquercetin(7), chrysoeriol(8), diosmetin(9),(10E,12Z,14E)-9,16-dioxooctadec-10,12,14-trienoic acid(10), 5,7,3',4'-tetrahydroxy-6-prenyl-dihydroflavanone(11), naringenin(12), dibutylphthalate(13). Compounds 1-3 are new compounds, and compounds 10 and 13 are isolated from aerial parts of this plant for the first time.

A review on the plant resources of important medicinal licorice.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Glycyrrizae Radix et Rhizoma has various effects, including tonifying the spleen and qi, clearing heat and toxic substances, eliminating phlegm, relieving cough and pain, and harmonizing the effects of other medicines. It is widely used in the pharmaceutical and food industries. AIMS OF THE STUDY: This review systematically collates the identification of Glycyrrhiza Linn. species with medicinal value and their distributions. The morphological and genetic characteristics, distribution, quantity of reserves in China, suitable environment, and area of suitable habitat of important medicinal species were reviewed. The effects of the natural environment and cultivation management (water and nutrients) on the growth and quality of licorice were reviewed. The aim is to make people have a systematic understanding of the status of medicinal plant resources of the G. Linn., and understand the natural and human factors that affect its quality, so as to provide help for the collection of resources of the important medicinal licorice and the human control of its quality in the future. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted extensive searches of the primary literature, master's and doctoral theses, and pharmacopeias of many countries using PubMed, Geenmedical, CNKI, Web of Science, SCI-hub and other databases. The keywords used in searches included "classification of Glycyrrhiza," "medicinal Glycyrrhiza," "distribution of Glycyrrhiza," and "suitable environment for Glycyrrhiza" The results of research conducted by our research group on the morphological and genetic characteristics, natural distribution, and effects of artificial regulation on the growth and quality of licorice were summarized. RESULTS: There are approximately 29 species of G. Linn. worldwide, including 15 species with medicinal value. These species occur on all continents except Antarctica across 41 countries. Only one licorice is recorded in Indian pharmacopoia,two species are recorded in US and Japanese pharmacopoeias,and three species are recorded in most national pharmacopoeias: G. glabra Linn., G. uralensis Fisch. and G. inflata Batalin. These three medicinal licorice species are mainly distributed in Eurasia, especially Central Asia. The main morphological differences between these three medicinal licorice species are in the leaves, inflorescences, pods, and seeds, and they can be distinguished by ITS and psbA-trnH sequences. The reserves of wild licorice in China have decreased annually to 1.04 million(t) in 2010. The cultivation area of G. uralensis Fisch in China is currently approximately 26,900 hm2. Soil conditions have a substantial effect on the yield and quality of G. uralensis Fisch, especially water and nutrients. Appropriate irrigation and fertilization measures can enhance the quality of G. uralensis Fisch. CONCLUSIONS: G. Linn. species and their natural distributions were summarized. The morphology, genetic characteristics, suitable environment, and area of suitable habitat of three medicinal licorice species collected in major countries were described. The main environmental conditions and cultivation measures affecting their growth and medicinal quality were determined. This article provides a comprehensive review on G. Linn. medicinal plant resources to enhance the future use of these resources.

[Effects of pH value on stachydrine biosynthesis of hydroponic Leonurus japonicus and its physiological mechanism].

The present study explored the physiological mechanism of the effects of different pH treatments on the growth, physiological characteristics, and stachydrine biosynthesis of Leonurus japonicus to provide references for the cultivation and quality control of L. japonicus. Under hydroponic conditions, different pH treatments(pH 5,6,7,8) were set up. The growth, physiology, and the content of stachydrine and total alkaloids of L. japonicus, as well as the content of key intermediate products in stachydrine biosynthesis pathway(i.e., pyruvic acid, α-ketoglutaric acid, glutamic acid, and ornithine) were monitored to explore the physiological mechanism of the effects of pH on the growth and active components of L. japonicus. The results showed that L. japonicus. could grow normally in the pH 5-8 solution. The pH treatment of neutral acidity was more conducive to the accumulation of photosynthetic pigments and the increase in soluble protein in leaves of L. japonicus. to promote its growth and yield. However, since stachydrine is a nitrogen-containing pyrrolidine alkaloid, its synthesis involves the two key rate-limiting steps of nitrogen addition: reductive ammoniation reaction and Schiff base formation reaction. High pH treatments promote the synthesis and accumulation of substrates and products of the above two reactions, indicating that the alkaline environment can promote the nitrogen addition reaction, thereby promoting the biosynthesis and accumulation of stachydrine.

Licorice: Resources, applications in ancient and modern times.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Licorice has been widely used as a medicinal herb since ancient times. Licorice is also spelled as "liquorice" and it is known as "Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma" (Chinese: gan cao) in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia. Licorice root has a wide range of pharmacological effects, including adrenocortical hormone-like effects, as well as multiple pharmacological effects on the digestive system, immune system, and cardiovascular system. AIM OF THE REVIEW: This review aims to comprehensively investigate the history of licorice and its medicinal and industrial applications in China and other nations, including research and application prospects related to the aerial parts of licorice. METHOD: An extensive review of the literature was carried out, including ancient and modern texts, doctoral and masters' theses, monographs on medicinal plants, pharmacopoeias and electronic databases, including Web of Science, Springer, CNKI, and Google Scholar. RESULTS: The ancient and modern applications of licorice were systematically investigated. In ancient times, practitioners in China discovered the medicinal potential of licorice and used it widely. In modern times, licorice is widely used in food, medicines and supplements, tobacco, chemical applications, environmental applications, animal husbandry and other industries. The potential of the aerial portion of the plant is also gradually being researched, developed, and utilized. CONCLUSION: Licorice is one of the oldest and most widely used herbal medicines in the world. This article reviews its medicinal potential and application in various fields, and briefly introduces current research into its aerial parts. This review aims to highlight the importance of licorice and provide direction for its future development.

The autotetraploid potato genome provides insights into highly heterozygous species.

Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) originated in the Andes and evolved its vegetative propagation strategy through short day-dependent tuber development. Herein, we present a high-quality, chromosome-scale reference genome sequence of a tetraploid potato cultivar. The total length of this genome assembly was 2.67 Gb, with scaffold N50 and contig N50 sizes of 46.24 and 2.19 Mb, respectively. In total, 1.69 Gb repetitive sequences were obtained through de novo annotation, and long terminal repeats were the main transposable elements. A total of 126 070 protein-coding genes were annotated, of which 125 077 (99.21%) were located on chromosomes. The 48 chromosomes were classified into four haplotypes. We annotated 31 506 homologous genes, including 5913 (18.77%) genes with four homologues, 11 103 (35.24%) with three homologues, 12 177 (38.65%) with two homologues and 2313 (7.34%) with one homologue. MLH3, MSH6/7 and RFC3, which are the genes involved in the mismatch repair pathway, were found to be significantly expanded in the tetraploid potato genome relative to the diploid potato genome. Genome-wide association analysis revealed that cytochrome P450, flavonoid synthesis, chalcone enzyme, glycosyl hydrolase and glycosyl transferase genes were significantly correlated with the flesh colours of potato tuber in 150 tetraploid potatoes. This study provides valuable insights into the highly heterozygous autotetraploid potato genome and may facilitate the development of tools for potato cultivar breeding and further studies on autotetraploid crops.

Dual inoculation of dark septate endophytes and Trichoderma viride drives plant performance and rhizosphere microbiome adaptations of Astragalus mongholicus to drought.

Rhizosphere microbiome adapts their structural compositions to water scarcity and have the potential to mitigate drought stress of plants. To unlock this potential, it is crucial to understand community responses to drought in the interplay between soil properties, water management and exogenous microbes interference. Inoculation with dark septate endophytes (DSE) (Acrocalymma vagum, Paraboeremia putaminum) and Trichoderma viride on Astragalus mongholicus grown in the non-sterile soil was exposed to drought. Rhizosphere microbiome were assessed by Illumina MiSeq sequencing of the 16S and ITS2 rRNA genes. Inoculation positively affected plant growth depending on DSE species and water regime. Ascomycota, Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Chloroflexi and Firmicutes were the dominant phyla. The effects of dual inoculation on bacterial community were greater than those on fungal community, and combination of P. putaminum and T. viride exerted a stronger impact on the microbiome under drought stress. The observed changes in soil factors caused by inoculation could be explained by the variations in microbiome composition. Rhizosphere microbiome mediated by inoculation exhibited distinct preferences for various growth parameters. These findings suggest that dual inoculation of DSE and T. viride enriched beneficial microbiota, altered soil nutrient status and might contribute to enhance the cultivation of medicinal plants in dryland agriculture.

Dark Septate Endophytes Isolated From Wild Licorice Roots Grown in the Desert Regions of Northwest China Enhance the Growth of Host Plants Under Water Deficit Stress.

This study aimed to explore dark septate endophytes (DSE) that may improve the cultivation of medicinal plants in arid ecosystems. We isolated and identified eight DSE species (Acremonium nepalense, Acrocalymma vagum, Alternaria chartarum, Alternaria chlamydospora, Alternaria longissima, Darksidea alpha, Paraphoma chrysanthemicola, and Preussia terricola) colonizing the roots of wild licorice (Glycyrrhiza uralensis) in the desert areas of northwest China. Moreover, we investigated the osmotic stress tolerance of the DSE using pure culture, along with the performance of licorice plants inoculated with the DSE under drought stress in a growth chamber, respectively. Here, five species were first reported in desert habitats. The osmotic-stress tolerance of DSE species was highly variable, A. chlamydospora and P. terricola increased the total biomass and root biomass of the host plant. All DSE except A. vagum and P. chrysanthemicola increased the glycyrrhizic acid content; all DSE except A. chartarum increased the glycyrrhizin content under drought stress. DSE × watering regimen improved the glycyrrhizic acid content, soil organic matter, and available nitrogen. Structural equation model analysis showed that DSE × watering regimen positively affected soil organic matter, and total biomass, root length, glycyrrhizic acid, and glycyrrhizin (Shapotou site); and positively affected soil organic matter, available phosphorus, and glycyrrhizin (Minqin site); and positively affected the root length (Anxi site). DSE from the Shapotou site accounted for 8.0, 13.0, and 11.3% of the variations in total biomass, root biomass, and active ingredient content; DSE from the Minqin site accounted for 6.6 and 8.3% of the variations in total biomass and root biomass; DSE from the Anxi site accounted for 4.2 and 10.7% of the variations in total biomass and root biomass. DSE × watering regimen displayed a general synergistic effect on plant growth and active ingredient contents. These findings suggested that the DSE-plant interactions were affected by both DSE species and DSE originating habitats. As A. chlamydospora and P. terricola positively affected the total biomass, root biomass, and active ingredient content of host plants under drought stress, they may have important uses as promoters for the cultivation of licorice in dryland agriculture.

[Main chemical constituents in aerial parts of Glycyrrhiza uralensis by UPLC-Q-Exactive Orbitrap-MS].

Chemical constituents from aerial parts of Glycyrrhiza uralensis were analyzed and identified using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with hybrid quadrupole-orbitrap mass spectrometry(UPLC-Q-Exactive Orbitrap-MS). The chromatographic column of Waters Acquity UPLC BEH-C_(18)(2.1 mm×100 mm, 1.7 µm) was adopted, with acetonitrile-water(0.5% formic acid) as mobile phase at a flow rate of 0.2 mL·min~(-1). Data was collected in positive and negative modes of electrospray ionization(ESI). A total of 55 compounds, including 42 flavonoids, 9 stilbenes, 2 coumarins, 1 lignin and 1 phenolic acid, which were characterized in the aerial parts of G. uralensis based on accurate molecular mass information of molecular and product ions provided by UPLC-Q-Exactive Orbitrap-MS based on comparison with standard substances and references. It is an effective and accurate method to provide chemical information of constituents in aerial parts of G. uralensis, and can provide a reference for further study on pharmacodynamic material basis and resources development and utilization.

Active surveillance in metastatic pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors: A 20-year single-institutional experience.

BACKGROUND: Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PanNETs) are heterogeneous and indolent; systemic therapy is not essential for every patient with metastatic PanNET. The National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines state that delaying treatment is an option for PanNET with distant metastasis, if the patient has stable disease. However, specific factors that influence surveillance were not mentioned. In addition, data regarding the period of active surveillance in patients with metastatic PanNET are lacking. AIM: To specifically determine factors influencing active surveillance in patients with liver metastatic nonfunctioning PanNETs (NF-PanNETs). METHODS: Seventy-six patients with liver metastatic NF-PanNETs who received active surveillance from a high-volume institution were enrolled. Time to disease progression (TTP) and time to initiation of systemic therapy were determined. RESULTS: Thirty-one (40.8%) patients had recurrent liver disease after R0 resection; 45 (59.2%) were diagnosed with liver metastasis. The median follow-up period was 42 mo and 90.7% patients were observed to have disease progression. The median TTP (mTTP) was 10 mo. Multivariate analysis showed that the largest axis of the liver metastasis > 5 mm (P = 0.04), non-resection of the primary tumor (P = 0.024), and T3-4 stage (P = 0.028) were associated with a shorter TTP. The mTTP in patients with no risk factors was 24 mo, which was significantly longer than that in patients with one (10 mo) or more (6 mo) risk factors (P < 0.001). A nomogram with three risk factors showed reasonable calibration, with a C-index of 0.603 (95% confidence interval: 0.47-0.74). CONCLUSION: Active surveillance may only be safe for metastatic NF-PanNET patients with favorable risk factors, and other patients progressed rapidly without treatment. Further studies with a larger sample size and a control group are needed.

Plant performance of enhancing licorice with dual inoculating dark septate endophytes and Trichoderma viride mediated via effects on root development.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to assess whether licorice (Glycyrrhiza uralensis) can benefit from dual inoculation by Trichoderma viride and dark septate endophytes (DSE) isolated from other medicinal plants. METHODS: First, we isolated and identified three DSE (Paraboeremia putaminum, Scytalidium lignicola, and Phoma herbarum) and Trichoderma viride from medicinal plants growing in farmland of China. Second, we investigated the influences of these three DSE on the performance of licorice at different T. viride densities (1 × 106, 1 × 107, and 1 × 108 CFU/mL) under sterilised condition in a growth chamber. RESULTS: Three DSE strains could colonize the roots of licorice, and they established a positive symbiosis with host plants depending on DSE species and T. viride densities. Inoculation of P. putaminum increased the root biomass, length, surface area, and root:shoot ratio. S. lignicola increased the root length, diameter and surface area and decreased the root:shoot ratio. P. herbarum increased the root biomass and surface area. T. viride increased the root biomass, length, and surface area. Structural equation model (SEM) analysis showed that DSE associated with T. viride augmented plant biomass and height, shoot branching, and root surface area. Variations in root morphology and biomass were attributed to differences in DSE species and T. viride density among treatments. P. putaminum or P. herbarum with low- or medium T. viride density and S. lignicola with low- or high T. viride density improved licorice root morphology and biomass. CONCLUSIONS: DSE isolated from other medicinal plants enhanced the root growth of licorice plants under different densities T. viride conditions and may also be used to promote the cultivation of medicinal plants.

Integrated Analysis of mRNA and microRNA Elucidates the Regulation of Glycyrrhizic Acid Biosynthesis in Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch.

Licorice (Glycyrrhiza) is a staple Chinese herbal medicine in which the primary bioactive compound is glycyrrhizic acid (GA), which has important pharmacological functions. To date, the structural genes involved in GA biosynthesis have been identified. However, the regulation of these genes in G. uralensis has not been elucidated. In this study, we performed a comprehensive analysis based on the transcriptome and small RNAome by high-throughput sequencing. In total, we identified 18 structural GA genes and 3924 transporter genes. We identified genes encoding 2374 transporters, 1040 transcription factors (TFs), 262 transcriptional regulators (TRs) and 689 protein kinases (PKs), which were coexpressed with at least one structural gene. We also identified 50,970 alternative splicing (AS) events, in which 17 structural genes exhibited AS. Finally, we also determined that miRNAs potentially targeted 4 structural genes, and 318, 8, and 218 miRNAs potentially regulated 150 TFs, 34 TRs, and 88 PKs, respectively, related to GA. Overall, the results of this study helped to elucidate the gene expression and regulation of GA biosynthesis in G. uralensis, provided a theoretical basis for the synthesis of GA via synthetic biology, and laid a foundation for the cultivation of new varieties of licorice with high GA content.

Plant Growth and Soil Microbial Impacts of Enhancing Licorice With Inoculating Dark Septate Endophytes Under Drought Stress.

This study mainly aimed to investigate the effects of dark septate endophytes (DSE) (Acrocalymma vagum, Paraboeremia putaminum, and Fusarium acuminatum) on the growth and microbial community composition in the rhizosphere soil of a medicinal plant, licorice (Glycyrrhiza uralensis), grown in the non-sterile soil under drought stress. The results showed that three DSE strains could effectively colonize the plant roots and form a strain-dependent symbiosis with licorice. Although drought stress declined the growth of licorice plants, these decreases were partly recovered by DSE inoculation. Specifically, the inoculation of A. vagum and P. putaminum significantly increased the biomass and glycyrrhizin content, whereas A. vagum and F. acuminatum increased glycyrrhizic acid content of host plants under drought stress. However, the inoculation of F. acuminatum showed significant negative effects on the shoot, root, and total biomass of licorice plants. In addition, the effects of DSE inoculation on the morphological, photosynthetic, and antioxidant parameters of licorice plants, and mineral nutrient and microbial community composition in the rhizosphere soil were dependent on the DSE species as well as water regime. Interestingly, DSE inoculation significantly increased AM fungi content under drought stress. In addition, DSE associated with water had a significant positive influence on soil organic matter, available phosphorus (P), AM fungi, leaf number, soluble protein, SOD activity, total root length, root branch, and glycyrrhizic acid content. Based on the results of variance partitioning analysis, 17.0, 34.0, 14.9, 40.1, 28.2, and 18.0% variations in shoot morphology, root morphology, plant biomass, active ingredient, photosynthetic parameters, and antioxidant parameters, respectively, were attributable to the presence of certain soil microorganisms. These findings suggest the possibility that DSE inoculation improved the root development and nutrient absorption of host plants, altered the soil microbiota, and might also contribute to plant growth and survival under drought conditions. As A. vagum exhibited positive effects on the plant biomass, morphological and physiological parameters, and active ingredient content in licorice plants under drought stress, it was considered to be the best fungus for licorice cultivation. These results contribute to the understanding of the ecological function of DSE fungi in dryland agriculture.

Characterization of Dark Septate Endophytic Fungi and Improve the Performance of Liquorice Under Organic Residue Treatment.

Dark septate endophytic (DSE) fungi is a diverse group of Ascomycetes fungi that colonize the plants roots, and may facilitate plant growth and fitness, however, their ecological roles need further clarification. This study aimed to evaluate the growth promoting effects of DSE fungi in a medicinal plant, liquorice (Glycyrrhiza uralensis), under additional organic residues. First, we isolated, identified and characterized, two DSE fungal species (Acrocalymma vagum and Paraboeremia putaminum) harboring inside the roots of liquorice growing in arid areas of China. Second, we examined the performance and rhizosphere soil parameters of liquorice plants inoculated with these fungi under additional sterilized organic residues and unsterilized organic residue (containing Trichoderma viride population) in a growth chamber. The results showed that two DSE strains could effectively colonize plant roots and formed a strain-dependent symbiosis with liquorice. DSE inoculation alone increased the plant biomass, and glycyrrhizic acid and glycyrrhizin content. It also improved the root system and N and P absorption by plants, consequently depleting these macronutrients in the soil. Residues alone increased soil organic matter, available phosphorus (P), and available nitrogen (N) content, and plant biomass, N, P, glycyrrhizic acid, and glycyrrhizin content. Mantel test and structural equation model (SEM) analysis demonstrated that DSE associated with residues significantly positively influenced soil organic matter, available P and available N, and plant biomass, glycyrrhizin, N, P, and root surface area. Variation in plant growth and glycyrrhizic acid and glycyrrhizin accumulation can be attributed to the effects of DSE inoculation. DSE associated with residues exhibited a general synergistic effect on the growth and accumulation of glycyrrhizic acid and glycyrrhizin of liquorice. We demonstrate for the first time, two DSE fungi in the liquorice roots that have potential use as promoter for the cultivation of medicinal plant.

[Investigation and analysis on difference of cultivation technique situation of Salvia miltiorrhiza].

Salvia miltiorrhiza is one of the commonly used bulk medicinal materials, which has significant effect on cardiovascular disease, and are heavy demanded in Asia, Europe, North America, Russia and Africa. Consequently, increasing the yield and quality of S. miltiorrhiza has become a major concern worldwide. With the current wild resources of S. miltiorrhiza gradually decreasing, cultivated products occupy most of the markets. However, the cultivation area is widely distributed and the cultivation techniques is different, which lead to the quality and yield of S. miltiorrhiza in consistent. This paper combined visiting survey with document analysis to carry out the cultivation situation of S. miltiorrhiza in main cultivation areas of Shandong, Henan, Sichuan, Shanxi and Hebei provinces. There exist big differences of the ecological environment, mode of cultivation, fertilization, pest control, harvesting processing among the producing areas. We should carry on the ecological suitability zoning analysis and suitable cultivation of each area study to form a pattern of high quality and high yield for the sustainable development of S. miltiorrhiza cultivation.

Plastid genome and composition analysis of two medical ferns: Dryopteris crassirhizoma Nakai and Osmunda japonica Thunb.

BACKGROUND: Dryopteris crassirhizoma Nakai and Osmunda japonica Thunb. are ferns that are popularly used for medicine, as recorded by the Chinese pharmacopoeia, and are distributed in different regions of China. However, O. japonica is not record in the Standards of Chinese Herbal Medicines in Hong Kong. Research on identification methods of D. crassirhizoma and O. japonica is necessary and the phylogenetic position of the two species should be identified. The plastid genome is structurally highly conserved, providing valuable sources of genetic markers for phylogenetic analyses and development of molecule makers for identification. METHODS: The plastid genome DNA was extracted from both fern species and then sequenced on the Illumina Hiseq 4000. Sequences were assembled into contigs by SOAPdenovo2.04, aligned to the reference genome using BLAST, and then manually corrected. Genome annotation was performed by the online DOGMA tool. General characteristics of the plastid genomes of the two species were analyzed and compared with closely related species. Additionally, phylogenetical trees were reconstructed by maximum likelihood methods. The content of dryocrassin of the two species were determined according to the Standards of Chinese Herbal Medicines in Hong Kong. RESULTS: The genome structures of D. crassirhizoma and O. japonica have different characteristics including the genome size, the size of each area, gene location, and types. Moreover, the (simple sequence repeats) SSRs of the plastid genomes were more similar to other species in the same genera. Compared with D. fragrans, D. crassirhizoma shows an inversion (approximately 1.6 kb), and O. japonica shows two inversions (1.9 kb and 216 bp). The nucleotide diversity (polymorphism information, Pi) analysis showed that the psbK gene and rpl14-rpl16 region have the highest Pi value in Dryopteris, and the ycf2-CDS3 and rpl14-rpl16 regions show the highest Pi vale in O. japonica. Phylogenetic analyses showed that the two species were grouped in two separate clades from each other, with both individually located with other members of their genus. The marker content of dryocrassin is not found in O. japonica. CONCLUSIONS: The study is the first to identify plastid genome features of D. crassirhizoma and O. japonica. The results may provide a theoretical basis for the identification and the application of the two medically important fern species.

[Effects of different concentrations of nitrogen,phosphorus and potash on Glycyrrhiza uralensis and its relationship with soil element content].

With annual Glycyrrhiza uralensis seedlings as experimental material, using "3414" optimal regression design and applied fertilizer, through the sampling of G. uralensis at harvest, root fresh weight and content of active components were measured in Lanzhou, Bayan Nur city, Chifeng, Jiuquan. Combined with NPK content in soil, potted experiments were used to study the effects of different nitrogen and phosphorus ratios on the dry matter accumulation and accumulation of active components of G. uralensis. The results reported as follows: the optimum fertilizer treatment in Lanzhou, Bayan Nur city, Chifeng, Jiuquan was N1P2K1,N2P2K1,N1P1K2 and N2P1K2, respectively. The efforts of single fertilizer on the fresh root weight acted as parabolic type.There was no significant effect of fertilizer treatment on the accumulation of active components of G. uralensis. Furthermore, in terms of nitrogen and phosphorus, the type of fertilizers that restricted the growth of the region was the type of elements with lower content in the soil. The optimal fertilizer usage was in inverse proportion to content of elements in soil. When the content of phosphorus in soil was low, nitrogen fertilizer and potash fertilizer showed positive interaction with phosphorus fertilizer, whereas, they showed negative interaction.

Distribution patterns of the contents of five biologically activate ingredients in the root of Scutellaria baicalensis.

As an important herbaceous plant, Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi (Chinese skullcap) is geographically widespread and commonly used throughout the world. In the Chinese medicine market, S. baicalensis has been divided into two primary types, "Ku Qin" (WXR) and "Tiao Qin" (TST). Moreover, TST is also divided into different grades according to the diameter of roots. To explore the distribution patterns of the contents of five biologically activate ingredients (FBAI), we used six-year-old cultivated S. baicalensis and analyzed its growth characteristics as well as the quality difference among different types and diameters in roots. Throughout the entire root, we discovered that contents of the FBAI all initially increased and subsequently decreased from the top to the bottom of the roots. The baicalin content of WXR was less than that of TST. On the contrary, the contents of baicalein, wogonin, and oroxylin A in WXR were up to about two times higher than that in TST. We also found that the 0 to 40 cm part of the S. baicalensis root possessed about 87% of the root biomass and about 92% of the contents of the active ingredients.

[Effects of different concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus on growth and active components of Salvia miltiorrhiza].

With annual Salvia miltiorrhiza seedlings as experimental material, using "3414" optimal regression design recommended by the Ministry of Agriculture and regularly watered with nutrient solution, through the dynamic sampling of S. miltiorrhiza in different growing stages, and the growth index, dry weight of plant root and content of active components were measured. The potted experiments were applied to study the effects of different nitrogen and phosphorus ratios on the growth, dry matter accumulation and accumulation of active components of S. miltiorrhiza, in order to explore a compatible fertilization method of nitrogen and phosphorus ratio that are suitable for production and quality of S. miltiorrhiza. The results reported as follows：①High concentrations of nitrogen fertilizer was beneficial to dry matter accumulation of S. miltiorrhiza aerial parts, and low concentration of nitrogen fertilizer transferred the dry matter accumulation to underground, and N1P1 could make the transfer ahead of time;②Regression analysis showed that in the early growth stage (before early July), we could use the nitrogen and phosphorus as basic fertilizer at a concentration of 1.521,0.355 g•L⁻¹ respectively to promote the growth of S. miltiorrhiza and at a concentration of 2.281,0.710 g•L⁻¹ respectively to promote the dry matter accumulation of root (after mid-August);③Five kinds of active components of S. miltiorrhiza decreased with the increase of nitrogen concentration, and increased with the increase of the concentration of phosphate fertilizer. Nitrogenous fertilizer, phosphate fertilizer in N-P=2∶3 ratio was more suitable for the accumulation of salvianolic acids, in N-P=1∶2 ratio was more suitable for the accumulation of tanshinone.

Transcriptome Analysis and Development of SSR Molecular Markers in Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch.

Licorice is an important traditional Chinese medicine with clinical and industrial applications. Genetic resources of licorice are insufficient for analysis of molecular biology and genetic functions; as such, transcriptome sequencing must be conducted for functional characterization and development of molecular markers. In this study, transcriptome sequencing on the Illumina HiSeq 2500 sequencing platform generated a total of 5.41 Gb clean data. De novo assembly yielded a total of 46,641 unigenes. Comparison analysis using BLAST showed that the annotations of 29,614 unigenes were conserved. Further study revealed 773 genes related to biosynthesis of secondary metabolites of licorice, 40 genes involved in biosynthesis of the terpenoid backbone, and 16 genes associated with biosynthesis of glycyrrhizic acid. Analysis of unigenes larger than 1 Kb with a length of 11,702 nt presented 7,032 simple sequence repeats (SSR). Sixty-four of 69 randomly designed and synthesized SSR pairs were successfully amplified, 33 pairs of primers were polymorphism in in Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch., Glycyrrhiza inflata Bat., Glycyrrhiza glabra L. and Glycyrrhiza pallidiflora Maxim. This study not only presents the molecular biology data of licorice but also provides a basis for genetic diversity research and molecular marker-assisted breeding of licorice.

[Effects of plant growth regulator uniconazole on plant morphology and biomass allocation of Salvia miltiorrhiza].

In this study, we use pot experiment to evaluate the effect of plant growth regulator on plant morphology and biomass allocation of Salvia miltiorrhiza. Different concentrations of uniconazole were supplied to S. miltioohiza by means of foliar spray. Height, breadth and stem diameter were measured dynamically, the biomass of leaf, stem, flower and fruit, root biomass and biomass ratio were also examined at the harvest time. Owing to the treatment, plant morphology showed significant changes, the height had been greatly reduced and the breadth decreased largely. Meanwhile, the biomass allocation changed too. The biomass ratio of leaf and stem had been notably reduced while the biomass ratio of root had been increased remarkably. It appears that foliar application of uniconazole during vigorous growth period in S. miltioohiza has dramatic effect on dwarfing plant and improving resistant to lodging. This measure could also be applied to condensed cultivation of S. miltioohiza to increase production.