Cistanche deserticola, a holoparasitic plant widely used in traditional Chinese medicine, relies on chemical signals from its host plant, Haloxylon ammodendron, to initiate seed germination and haustorium induction. This study employed UPLC-MS/MS to analyze the root metabolites of H. ammodendron. The results showed that 11 substances such as phenolic acids, flavonoids, and alkaloids were mainly contained in the roots of H. ammodendron, among which phenolic acids accounted for the largest proportion, accounting for 18.00% in winter samples and 16.11% in autumn samples. Based on the reported exogenous substances that promote haustorium induction in C. deserticola and the differential metabolites in H. ammodendron roots, we selected seven exogenous signaling substances: 2,6-dimethoxy-1,4-benzoquinone, resorcinol, ferulic acid, syringic acid, vanillic acid, vanillin, and pelargonidin. Through concentration-gradient experiments (0.1–100 μM), we assessed their effects on haustorium induction in C. deserticola seeds. The results showed that among the seven substances, syringic acid, vanillic acid, and vanillin had the best impact on promoting the haustorium induction of C. deserticola seeds. Vanillic acid had the best impact at the concentration of 10 μmol/L, and the highest haustorium induction rate was 50.2%. There was no significant difference in the concentrations of vanillin and syringic acid. The results showed that phenolic acids in the host root system stimulated haustoria induction in C. deserticola seeds, with different substances requiring different optimal concentrations. This study not only identifies specific phenolic acids that enhance C. deserticola productivity but also establishes a chemical ecology framework for investigating host–parasite interactions in other root parasitic species.

Understanding morphological descriptions of plants documented by ancient peoples over 1000 years ago and identifying the species they described are critical for reconstructing the natural geographic distribution of plant taxa, tracking taxonomic variations, and inferring historical climate dynamics. Analyzing shifts in plant communities and climatic conditions during this period is essential to unravel the interplay among floristic composition, climate fluctuations, and anthropogenic impacts. However, research in this field remains limited, with greater emphasis placed on plant taxa from hundreds of millions of years ago. Investigations into flora and climate during the last two millennia are sparse, and pre-millennial climatic conditions remain poorly characterized. In this study, a historical text written 1475 years ago was analyzed to compile plant names and morphological features, followed by taxonomic identification. The research identified three gymnosperm species (one in Pinaceae, two in Cupressaceae), 1 Tamaricaceae species (dicotyledon), and 19 dicotyledon species. However, three plant groups could only be identified at the genus level. Using textual analysis and woody plant coexistence methods, the climate of 1475 years ago in western Henan Province, located in the middle-lower Yellow River basin in East Asia, was reconstructed. Results indicate that the mean temperature of the coldest month (MTCM) was approximately 1.3 °C higher than modern values. In comparison, the mean temperature of the warmest month (MTWM) and mean annual temperature (MAT) were lower than present-day levels. This suggests slightly cooler overall conditions with milder seasonal extremes in ancient Luoyang—a finding supported by contemporaneous studies. Furthermore, annual precipitation (AP), precipitation of the warmest quarter (PWQ), and precipitation of the coldest quarter (PCQ) in the Luoyang region 1475 years ago exceeded modern measurements, despite the area’s monsoonal climate. This suggests significantly higher atmospheric moisture content in ancient air masses compared to today. This study provides floristic and climatic baseline data for advancing our understanding of global climate variability at millennial scales.

Accurately understanding the morphological descriptions of plants by ancient people more than 1,000 years ago, and determining the plant species that people described, is of great value in understanding the natural geographic distribution of plant taxa, the var-iation of plant taxa, and climate change. The variation on the plant group and the climate at that time is critical for understanding the change of combination of plant taxa and the climate and the impact of human activity. However, there is limited research in this area. More studies have focused on plant taxa from billions of years ago or money millions of years ago. Research on the plants and flora of this period is limited. And little was known about climates prior to the millennium. In this study, the special text was selected, and the plant names, plants' morphological features were gathered and plant taxonomy were carried out. The study identified 3 species of gymnosperms, namely Pinaceae and Cu-pressaceae, one species of Tamaricaceae monocotyledon, and 19 species of dicotyledons. However, three plant groups could only be identified to the level of genus. In our study, we reconstruct the climate of 1.475 millennia ago through plant textual research and woody plant coexistence analysis in the western section of Henan Province in eastern Asia, in the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River. The results showed that the mean temperature of the coldest month was around 1.3°C higher than that in modern times, the mean temperature of the warmest month and mean annual temperatures were lower than the corresponding modern values 1.475 millennia ago, implying that tem-peratures in the Luoyang region were slightly lower with a respective mild change at the time, which was supported by other studies of the same period. At the same time, the study concluded that 1.475 millennia ago, the ancient Luoyang region, located in the interior of central East Asia, had high temperatures and rainfall in the summer and low temperatures in the winter, but the mean annual precipitation, the hottest seasonal pre-cipitation, and the coldest seasonal precipitation were all higher than those in the modern Luoyang region. Despite East Asia's predominantly monsoonal climate, the water con-tent of air currents was significantly higher than it is today. This study provides high-resolution plant and climate background information for rebuilding the ecological environment in East Asia.

Screening superior hosts is critical for artificial cultivation of Cistanche deserticola Y.C.Ma. However, intraspecific trait variation and host suitability of its emerging host Atriplex canescens (Pursh) Nutt remain unsystematically evaluated. In this study, 31 A. canescens individuals with diverse morphotypes and parasitic statuses were selected from over 300 seedlings. After post-transplant assessment, 17 representative A. canescens genotypes were selected and cutting-propagated. Their genetic, phenotypic and photosynthetic traits were systematically analyzed by multiple approaches, with a multi-indicator evaluation system built by correlation analysis and entropy-weighted Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution)(TOPSIS). The results showed that the Internal Transcribed Spacer(ITS) sequences of the selected genotypes had an approximate length of 644 bp, exhibiting an average GC contents of 58.35%. A total of 22 haplotypes were detected, indicating high genetic diversity. In this study, superior host genotypes were defined as those with relatively excellent growth potential and stable, efficient photosynthetic performance. NP3.13, P3.1 and NP2.23 were recognized as promising candidate host genotypes with potential for C. deserticola cultivation, and their host suitability was indirectly inferred from their relatively superior growth and photosynthetic traits. This study not only provides valuable candidate germplasm resources and a scientific basis for optimizing the cultivation of C. deserticola, but also furnishes methodological support for elite genotypes screening in other plant species by the established evaluation framework.

This study aimed to predict potentially suitable areas for Cistanche deserticola in China and to provide a scientific basis for its cultivation layout and production planning. Based on the MaxEnt algorithm and ArcGIS spatial analysis, two independent ecological niche models were constructed, one for each host–parasite system, to predict the ecologically suitable areas for C. deserticola hosted by Haloxylon ammodendron and Atriplex canescens, respectively. The suitable areas for H. ammodendron–C. deserticola were mainly distributed in central and northwestern Xinjiang, north-central Inner Mongolia, north-central Gansu and Ningxia. The highly, moderately and lowly suitable areas accounted for 20.74%, 30.63% and 30.92% of the total area of the seven provinces (Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia, Gansu, Ningxia, Qinghai, Shaanxi, and Shanxi), respectively. The suitable areas for A. canescens–C. deserticola were mainly distributed in central and western Xinjiang, west-central Inner Mongolia, central Gansu Province, north-central Ningxia, northeastern Qinghai Province and western Shaanxi Province, with highly, moderately, and lowly suitable areas accounting for 10.80%, 24.73% and 32.45% of the total area of the seven provinces, respectively. Response curve analysis revealed that annual precipitation (optimal range approximately 150–400 mm) and elevation (optimal range approximately 150–2000 m for H. ammodendron–C. deserticola and 270–1000 m for A. canescens–C. deserticola) were key factors constraining the cultivation pattern. The unimodal shape of the response curves indicated that both insufficient and excessive values of these variables reduced habitat suitability. For areas adjacent to lakes or equipped with irrigation facilities, sites with annual precipitation exceeding 150 mm should be prioritized for cultivation. It should be noted that the predicted areas represent environmental suitability derived from the correlation between occurrence records and abiotic predictors, rather than confirmed cultivation areas; field validation and consideration of biotic (host availability) and anthropogenic (land use, management) factors are required before large-scale planting. This study provides a scientific basis for the introduction and cultivation of C. deserticola in different regions and large-scale cultivation planning.