Tuber rot has become a serious problem in the large-scale cultivation of Gastrodia elata. In this study, we compared the resistance of different ecotypes of G. elata to tuber rot by field experiments on the basis of the investigation of G. elata diseases. The histological observation and transcriptome analysis were conducted to reveal the resistance differences and the underlying mechanisms among different ecotypes. In the field, G. elata f. glauca had the highest incidence of tuber rot, followed by G. elata f. viridis, and G. elata f. elata and G. elata f. glauca×G. elata f. elata showed the lowest incidence. Tuber rot showcased obvious plant source specificity and mainly occurred in the buds and bottom of G. elata plants. After infection, the pathogen spread hyphae in host cortex cells, which can change the endophytic fungal community structure in the cortex and parenchyma of G. elata. G. elata f. glauca had thinner lytic layer and more sugar lumps in the parenchyma than G. elata f. elata. The transcription of genes involved in immune defense, enzyme synthesis, polysaccharide synthesis, carbohydrate transport and metabolism, hydroxylase activity, and aromatic compound synthesis had significant differences between G. elata f. glauca and G. elata f. elata. These findings suggested that the differences in resis-tance to tuber rot among different ecotypes of G. elata may be related to the varied gene expression patterns and secondary metabolites. This study provides basic data for the prevention and control of tuber rot and the improvement of planting technology for G. elata.
Ecotype ; Gastrodia/microbiology* ; Gene Expression Profiling ; Plant Tubers/genetics*

With universal primer ITS1-F, the specific DHJ2 primer was developed to detect the Ectomycorrhizal (ECM) root tips in soil and to identify the species of ECM fungi, as based on DNA sequences of rDNA stored in GeneBank of NCBI. This primer was designed with the common sites of rDNA of Amanita and Boletus, and was also designed with several DNA programs provided by NCBI. The DNA fragments synthesized by PCR were calculated to be 1,000 to 1,200 bps of DNA located to 18s to 28s rDNA to contain two variable sites of ITS, indicating much diversities for specific species or ecotypes of ECM fungi. The primer DHJ2 reacted with the genomic DNA's extracted from the tissues of basidiocarp at the rate of 73 of 80 fungi collected produced single bands with a 1,100 bps length. The DNA fragment synthesized with the genomic DNA that extracted from eight ECM tips of Pinus densiflora was confirmed and analysized to the rDNAs of ECM in full sequences, and informed to be a ECM fungal species in the forest.
Amanita ; Base Sequence ; DNA ; DNA, Ribosomal ; Ecotype ; Fruiting Bodies, Fungal ; Fungi* ; Meristem ; Pinus ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Sensitivity and Specificity* ; Soil ; Wood*

China ; epidemiology ; Ecotype ; Humans ; Influenza A Virus, H7N9 Subtype ; Influenza, Human ; epidemiology ; virology ; Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ; epidemiology

Quality variation and ecotype classification of Chinese herbal medicine are important scientific problems in Daodi herbal medicine research. The diversity of natural environmental conditions has led to form unique multi-Daodi, multi-product areas that produce particular Chinese herbal medicine. China is one of three big American ginseng (Panax quinquefolium L.) producing areas worldwide, with over 300 years of application and 40 years of cultivation history. Long-term production practice has led to the formation of three big advocate produce areas in China: Northeast province, Beijing and Shandong. P. quinquefolium L. grown under certain environmental conditions will develop long-term adaptations that will lead to more stable strains (different ecotypes). P. quinquefolium L., can vary greatly in quality; however, the ecological mechanisms causing this variation are still unclear. Root samples were collected from four-year-old cultivated P. quinquefolium L. plants in the three major genuine (Daodi) American ginseng-producing areas of Northeast province, Beijing and Shandong province, China. Ultra-performance liquid chromatography was used to analyze the contents of eight ginsenosides (Rg1, Re, Rb1, Rb2, Rb3, Rc, Rd, Rg2). Data for nine ecological factors, including temperature, moisture and sunlight, were obtained from the ecological database of Geographic Information System for Traditional Chinese Medicine. Soil samples from the sampling sites were collected. Effective boron and iron, available nitrogen and potassium, as well as other trace elements and soil nutrients, were determined by conventional soil physicochemical property assay methods. Analytical methods of biostatistics and numerical taxonomy were used to divide ecotypes of the three main Panax quinquefolium L. producing areas in China based on ginsenoside content, climate, soil and other ecological factors. To our knowledge, this is the first time that ecological division of P. quinquefolium L. producing areas in China has ever been conducted. The results show that there are two chemoecotypes of P. quinquefolium L. in China: ginsenoside Rb1-Re from outside Shanhaiguan, and ginsenoside Rg2-Rd from inside Shanhaiguan. Similarly, there are two types of climatic characteristics: inside Shanhaiguan (Beijing, Shandong) and outside Shanhaiguan (Northeast). This suggests that the formation and differentiation of chemoecotypes of P. quinquefolium L. is closely related to variability of the climatic and geographical environment. Additionally, ecological variation of the three main producing areas, characteristics of two climatic ecotypes, and soil characteristics are also discussed and summarized. These results provide experimental scientific evidence of the quality variation and ecological adaptation of P. quinquefolium L. from different producing areas. They also deepen our understanding of the biological nature of Daodi P. quinquefolium L. formation, and offer novel research models for other multi-origin, multi-Daodi Chinese herbal medicines ecotypes. In addition, the results demonstrate the critical need for improving quality, appropriate ecological regionalization and promoting industrialized development of P. quinquefolium L.
Biodiversity ; China ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; methods ; Climate ; Cluster Analysis ; Ecotype ; Ginsenosides ; analysis ; Panax ; chemistry ; classification ; Plant Roots ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; classification ; Soil ; Temperature

OBJECTIVE: To investigate anti-inflammatory and immunomodulation effects of different ecotype from Isatidis Radix growing in Gansu province. METHODS: Mice were randomly divided into 6 groups (=11)and used the auricular swelling and paw edema to observe the anti-inflammatory effects of Isatidis Radix; Mice were randomly divided into 7 groups (=11) and through the gasbag synovitis model to observe the anti-inflammatory effects of Isatidis Radix; Mice were randomly divided into 6 groups (=11), the immunosuppressed model were established by injection of cyclophosphamide (CTX) to study the effects of Isatidis Radix on index of thymus, blood routine and cytokines. RESULTS: Gansu different ecotype from Isatidis Radix could reduce the swelling of the mice auricle, paw edema and total protein, leukotriene B(LTB)and malonaldehyde(MDA) in airbag synovitis exudates, and upgrade serum levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD); Degrade the tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and upgrade the index of thymus, the number of red and white corpuscles, the level of interferon-γ (IFN-γ), interleukin-4 (IL-4) (<0.05, 0.01) of mice immunosuppressed model; Above the research of anti-inflammatory and immunomodulation, there were no significant differences between Isatidis Radix of Gansu different ecotype and tetraploid. CONCLUSIONS Different ecotype of Isatidis Radix has obvious functions in anti-inflammatory and immunomodulation, but there are no significant differences between Gansu different ecotype and tetraploid.
Animals ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents ; pharmacology ; China ; Cytokines ; immunology ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Ecotype ; Immunomodulation ; drug effects ; Isatis ; chemistry ; Mice ; Plant Extracts ; pharmacology ; Random Allocation