Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer is one of the most important medicinal plants in Northeast China, and ginsenosides are the main active ingredients found in medicinal ginseng. The biosynthesis of ginsenosides is regulated by environmental factors and the expression of key enzyme genes. Therefore, in this experiment, ginseng in the leaf opened stage, the green fruit stage, the red fruit stage, and the root growth stage was used as the test material, and nine individual ginsenosides and total saponins (the sum of the individual saponins) were detected by HPLC (High Performance Liquid Chromatography). There was a trend of synergistic increase and decrease, and saponin accumulation and transfer in different tissues. The expression of key enzyme genes in nine synthetic pathways was detected by real-time PCR, and the correlation between saponin content, gene expression, and ecological factors was analyzed. Correlation analysis showed that in root tissue, PAR (Photosynthetically Active Radiation) and soil water potential had a greater impact on ginsenoside accumulation, while in leaf tissue, temperature and relative humidity had a greater impact on ginsenoside accumulation. The results provide a theoretical basis for elucidating the relationship between ecological factors and genetic factors and their impact on the quality of medicinal materials. The results also have guiding significance for realizing the quality of medicinal materials.

Saposhnikovia divaricata is a high-demand medicinal plant containing various bioactive metabolites (e.g., chromone). However, root rot disease leads to a dramatic reduction in the yield and quality of S. divaricata. The use of rhizospheric microorganisms is one of the best strategies for biological control. In this study, a total of 104 fungi isolated from the rhizospheric soil of S. divaricata plants were examined for their different antifungal properties. Subsequently, strain MR-57 was selected as a potential stock for biocontrol due to its broad-spectrum antagonistic activity against pathogens, including F. equiseti. Based on the analysis of morphological properties and rDNA internal transcribed spacers (ITSs), strain MR-57 was identified as Acrophialophora jodhpurensis (GenBank No. OK287150.1), a newly recorded species for China. In an in vitro antifungal assay, the culture filtrate of strain MR-57 significantly reduced the conidial germination rate and induced alterations in the mycelia morphology of F. equiseti, such as deformation and degradation. To assess the antifungal efficacy of MR-57 against root rot disease and the properties promoting the growth of S. divaricata, pot experiments were performed under natural outdoor conditions. The results indicated that co-inoculation with MR-57 delayed the occurrence of S. divaricata root rot and showed a control efficacy of 65.41% (p < 0.05) based on the measurement of suppressed disease lesions. Additionally, MR-57 successfully colonized and formed a stable population in the soil in which S. divaricata was grown, and it exhibited a consistently positive effect on the promotion of the growth of S. divaricata plants. In short, Acr. jodhpurensis MR-57 could be considered for the development of a potential biocontrol agent for the management of S. divaricata root rot caused by F. equiseti.