Cnidium officinale Makino, a perennial crop in the Umbeliperae family, is one of Korea’s representative forest medicinal plants. However, the growing area of C. officinale has been reduced by plant disease and soil sickness caused by fusarium wilt. This study isolated rhizosphere bacteria from C. officinale, and their antagonistic activity was evaluated against Fusarium solani. Particularly, four isolated strains, namely, PT1, ST7, ST8, and SP4, showed a significant antagonistic activity against F. solani. An in planta test showed that the mortality rates of shoots were significantly low in the PT1-inoculated group. The fresh and dry weights of the inoculated plants were also higher than that of the other groups. The 16S rRNA gene sequencing identified the strain PT1 as Leclercia adecarboxylata, and downstream studies confirmed the production of antagonism-related enzymes such as siderophore and N-acetyl-β-glucosaminidase. The phosphorous solubilizing ability and secretion of related enzymes were also analyzed. The results showed that PT1 strain could be utilized as promising plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) and biocontrol agents (BCAs).

The growth characteristics and active compounds of plants are influenced by various environmental factors, including light, temperature, soil, and precipitation. These factors interact with each plant in a unique way. In this study, we collected fruit and soil samples from 17 cultivation sites in October 2020 to investigate the relationship among environmental factors, growth characteristics, and active compounds of H. dulcis seed and fruit. We developed an optimized method for quantifying active compounds using ultra-performance liquid chromatography and performed correlation analyses with the surveyed environmental factors. Results showed that the size and fresh weight of H. dulcis fruits were positively correlated with exchangeable Mg, Na, and silt texture proportion in the soil. The temperature was positively correlated with sugar content in the fruits but negatively correlated with fruit weight, and precipitation was negatively correlated with fruit size. Results also showed a positive correlation between the active compounds and growth characteristics such as fruit length, seed number per fruit, and fresh weight. The results of this study can be used as basic data for the cultivation and quality control of H. dulcis fruits.

This study aimed to investigate the growth characteristics of Sageretia thea and analyze the correlations between soil physicochemical properties and microbial communities in its native habitats. Soil physicochemical properties were characterized by organic matter (0.37–36.43%), available phosphate (57.96–315.90 mg/kg), potassium (0.11–1.17 cmol⁺kg⁻¹), calcium (1.23–25.97 cmol⁺kg⁻¹), magnesium (0.43–15.01 cmol⁺kg⁻¹), sodium (0.04–6.16 cmol⁺kg⁻¹), and pH (4.68–7.05), indicating slightly acidic to neutral conditions. S. thea exhibited variable growth characteristics across habitats; leaf length and width were largest in Jangnam-ri and Hacka-ri, respectively, whereas Docheong-ri promoted higher fruit growth. The soil microbial community composition was dominated by Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, and Acidobacteria at the phylum level (76.09%) and by Alphaproteobacteria, Actinobacteria_c, and Vicinamibacter_c at the class level (40%). Soil physicochemical properties were significantly correlated with Actinobacteria, Acidobacteria, and Chloroflexi at the phylum level, and all microbial groups except Spartobacteria at the class level. Furthermore, growth characteristics were significantly correlated with all microbial communities except Acidobacteria and Firmicutes at the phylum level, and Acidobacteria, Thermoleophilia, and Rubrobacteria at the class level. These findings provide a foundation for developing efficient cultivation techniques for S. thea based on its soil microbiome and habitat conditions.

Yeong-Bae Yun · Jeong-Hoon Huh · Dae-Hui Jeong · Jiah Kim · Yurry Um. JABC 2022;65:253-9. https://doi.org/10.3839/jabc.2022.033

Adenophora triphylla, a perennial plant widely used in traditional medicine, produces secondary metabolites like lupenone and β-sitosterol. Understanding how environmental factors influence the concentrations of these metabolites is crucial for optimizing their medicinal use and cultivation. This study examined the relationships between soil physicochemical properties, climatic variables, and the growth and metabolite content of A. triphylla roots across 17 cultivation sites in South Korea. Methods included UHPLC-MS/MS analysis for quantifying lupenone and β-sitosterol, alongside correlation analysis of growth traits and environmental factors. The results showed that higher soil pH and calcium/magnesium content were positively correlated with the fresh weight of the root, whereas lower temperatures increased biomass accumulation. Additionally, lupenone was significantly associated with the elongation of various root growth, whereas β-sitosterol showed a correlation only with the diameter of the taproot. These findings suggest that environmental factors, particularly soil pH, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, and temperature, play key roles in influencing both the growth and metabolite production of A. triphylla, providing valuable insights into improving its medicinal and agronomic potential.