Pinellia ternata is a medicinal herb of Araceae, and its tubers are used as medicines. It is a common Chinese herbal medicine in China and has a large market demand. When exposing to strong light intensity and high temperature during the growth process, P. ternata withers in a phenomenon known as "sprout tumble", which largely limits tuber production. Shade can effectively delay sprout tumble formation and increase its yield, however the relevant regulation mechanism is unclear. DNA methylation, as a self-modifying response to environmental changes, is often involved in the regulation of plant growth and development. In this study, P. ternata grown under natural light and 90% shading were selected as the control group and the experimental group for genomic DNA methylation analysis by using methylate sensitive amplification polymorphism(MSAP). The results showed that a total of 617 loci were detected with 20 pairs of primers, of which 311 were in the natural light group and 306 in the shading group. The methylation sites in the light and shading groups accounted for 58.2% and 71.57%, respectively, and the methylation ratios in the methylation sites were 27.65% and 29.41%, respectively, indicating that shading significantly induced the genome DNA methylation of P. ternata. Compared to the natural light group, shading promoted 32.51% of the genes methylation, while inducing 16.25% gene demethylation. This study reveals the DNA methylation variation of P. ternata under shading conditions, which lays a preliminary theoretical foundation for further analysis of the mechanism of shading regulation of P. ternata growth from epigenetic level.
China ; DNA Methylation ; Darkness ; Epigenesis, Genetic ; Pinellia/radiation effects* ; Plants, Medicinal/radiation effects* ; Sunlight

Measuring the content of soluble reducing sugar, total sugar, soluble protein, guanosine, alkaloids, and succinic acid of Pinellia ternata tuber were measured by anthrone-sulfuric acid colorimetric method, Coomassie brilliant blue method, RP-HPLC, reverse potentiometric titration, acid dye colorimetry, respectively. The result showed that yellow light could promote the growth and development of P. ternata and increase the content of soluble reducing sugar, total sugar, alkaloids, and succinic acid. Under blue light could promote the content of soluble protein and guanosine. Red and yellow light increased the content of chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b, contrastively blue light reduced the content of chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b. White film through the most uniform spectrum was most conducive to the synthesis of chlorophyll a. As single film, blue film, yellow film were more conducive to the synthesis of chlorophyll a, green film and red film had been relatively beneficial to the synthesis of chlorophyll b. Bulbil formed the largest number and the biggest propagation coefficient of P. ternata under red light showed that it could increase the production of P. ternata under red light.
Carbohydrate Metabolism ; radiation effects ; Chlorophyll ; metabolism ; Light ; Pinellia ; growth & development ; metabolism ; radiation effects ; Plant Leaves ; growth & development ; radiation effects ; Plant Proteins ; chemistry ; metabolism ; Quality Control ; Solubility

OBJECTIVETo study the photosynthetic characteristics and chlorophyll fluorescence parameters of Pinellia ternate from different sources, in order to provide basis for cultivation and breeding.

METHODPigment contents were compared among different sources by the Lichtenthaler method. The light-response and diurnal photosynthesis course of P. ternata from different sources were analyzed by LI-6400 system, and chlorophll fluorescence parameters were analyzed by PAM-2100 system.

RESULTThe difference of photosynthetic characteristics among the sources were remarkable. The light compensation point (LCP) of P. ternate from different sources were 11.57-17.88 micromol x m(-2) x s(-1), the light saturation point (LSP) were 1 000-1 300 micromol x m(-2) x (s-1). All the sources have obvious "midday depression". P. ternate cultivated in Xinjiang showed a higher light saturation point (LSP) and better chlorophyll fluorescence parameters.

CONCLUSIONP. ternata cultivated in Xinjiang showed better photosynthetic characteristics and chlorophyll fluorescence parameters than the others.

China ; Chlorophyll ; chemistry ; Fluorescence ; Light ; Photosynthesis ; Pinellia ; chemistry ; physiology ; radiation effects

OBJECTIVETo study the effects of shading on photosynthetic physiology and chlorophyll fluorescence of Pinellia ternata.

METHODPlant growth, chlorophyll content, net photosynthetic rate (P(n)) and chlorophyll fluorescence in P. ternata were investigated under different shading treatments (0%, 70% and 90%) when it grew about 15 cm high.

RESULTThe results showed that fresh weight of a tuber, height, leaf length, width, leaf area, specific leaf area (SLA) and contents of chlorophyll content were enhanced after shaded, and chlorophyll a/b rate declined. Compared with control, net photosynthetic rate, light compensation point (LCP) and light saturation point (LSP) of P. ternata decreased after shading, but apparent quantum yield (AQY) increased; quantum yield of PS II (PhiPS II), minimal fluorescence (F(o)), maximal fluorescence (F(m)), intrinsic photochemical efficiency of PS II (F(v)/F(m)) and photochemical quenching coefficient (qP) were enhanced.

CONCLUSIONCompared with control, all data indicated that there were distinctive differences between the height, SLA, chlorophyll content, P(n) and chlorophyll fluorescence characteristics under the shading treatments (70% and 90%), the fresh weight of a tuber increased after 70% shading, and provided better environmental conditions for the growth of P. ternata.

Chlorophyll ; metabolism ; Light ; Photosynthesis ; drug effects ; Pinellia ; metabolism ; radiation effects ; Plant Leaves ; metabolism ; radiation effects