Genetic and environmental factors influencing the contents of essential oil compounds in Atractylodes lancea

Abstract

Rhizomes of Atractylodes lancea are used in traditional Japanese medicine (Kampo) and Chinese medicine to treat numerous diseases and disorders because they contain many pharmacologically active compounds. The major active compounds in A . lancea are essential oil compounds such as β-eudesmol, hinesol, atractylon, and atractylodin. The contents of the compounds in A . lancea exhibit high variability depending on their habitat. We cultivated clonal lines of A . lancea in different years (2016, 2017) and different locations (Hokkaido, Ibaraki) to investigate the influence of genetic and environmental factors on the contents of major compounds, namely, β-eudesmol, hinesol, atractylon, and atractylodin. Broad sense heritability of β-eudesmol, hinesol, atractylon, and atractylodin contents were 0.84, 0.77, 0.86, and 0.87, respectively. The effects of interannual variability on the contents of the compounds were lower than those of genotype. In addition, the cultivated environmental factors were assessed by different locations, and the correlations between Hokkaido and Ibaraki grown plants based on β-eudesmol, hinesol, atractylon, and atractylodin contents were 0.94, 0.94, 1.00, and 0.83, respectively. The results suggest that the contents of β-eudesmol, hinesol, atractylon, and atractylodin in A . lancea are largely influenced by genetic factors, and clonal propagation could be an effective strategy for obtaining populations with high contents of essential oil compounds. Furthermore, the contents of β-eudesmol, hinesol, atractylon, and atractylodin in A . lancea exhibited few correlations with rhizome yields. A . lancea cultivars with not only high contents of essential oil compounds but also high rhizome yield could be developed through selective breeding.

Evaluation of heritability of β-eudesmol/hinesol content ratio in Atractylodes lancea De Candolle

“…These results might be caused by variation of environmental conditions such as average temperature and soil conditions [16]. The environmental conditions of two cultivation locations were more varied than that of two cultivation years [16]. However, the broad-sense heritability and correlation coefficient between the two cultivation locations was exhibited high-values (Table 3 and Fig.…”

“…Also, variations of cultivation location and G × L interaction were higher than that of cultivation years and G × Y interaction (Table 3). These results might be caused by variation of environmental conditions such as average temperature and soil conditions [16]. The environmental conditions of two cultivation locations were more varied than that of two cultivation years [16].…”

“…In our previous study of the same samples, we determined the effects of environmental factors on βeudesmol and hinesol content [16]. We showed that the broad-sense heritability of this ratio was higher than that of absolute β-eudesmol and hinesol content, and that the effects of cultivation year and location on the βeudesmol/hinesol content ratio were smaller than on βeudesmol and hinesol content [16]. In general, sesquiterpenoids are induced by plant hormones produced in response to biotic and abiotic stresses [17].…”

“…The quality of A. lancea rhizome is closely related to environment of its natural habitats, and β-eudesmol and hinesol content vary across geographical regions [13,15]. We previously demonstrated that β-eudesmol and hinesol content are strongly influenced by genetic factors [16]. In addition, Takeda et al [14] suggested that geographical differences in terms of the β-eudesmol/ hinesol content ratio are mainly caused by genetic differences.…”

“…In this study, we analyzed data from a previous study [16] on the β-eudesmol/hinesol content ratio in A. lancea rhizomes and investigated the heritability of this ratio. In particular, a total of 25 clonal lines of A. lancea were grown in an experimental field, and broad-sense heritability of the β-eudesmol/hinesol content ratio was estimated.…”