Molecular Soil Biology 2025, Vol.16, No.2, 83-90 http://bioscipublisher.com/index.php/msb 86 stage, it can not only promote plant growth, but also reduce power consumption (Liu et al., 2022). 4.3 Environmental stress and metabolite regulation Applying moderate stress conditions can stimulate the production of active compounds. For example, mild drought stress can activate plant defense responses and increase the content of flavonoids and alkaloids. Reducing certain nutrients also produces similar effects. In addition to managing water and nutrients, external inducers such as salicylic acid and jasmonic acid can trigger secondary metabolism without affecting overall growth (Yin et al., 2020). Alternating light intensity has also been used to enhance metabolic activity. These strategies provide useful tools for increasing the medicinal value of L. japonicus and make large-scale off-season production more feasible. 5 Promotion and Application of Off-Season Cultivation Technology in Industrial Production 5.1 Cost-effectiveness and economic feasibility Although the off-season planting of Leonurus japonicus has a large initial investment, such as greenhouse construction, equipment procurement and energy-saving system installation, it is feasible in the long run. Thanks to the annual planting, disease reduction and yield increase, the unit cost gradually decreased and the economic benefits began to appear (Krishna et al., 2024). At the same time, precision irrigation and nutrition management can also save water and fertilizer and reduce operating expenses. Large scale planting can usually recover the investment cost within 2 to 3 years (Pachiyappan et al., 2022). Due to the higher active ingredients, stable quality and better market price of medicinal materials planted out of season, the characteristics of "high quality+stable supply" enhance the market competitiveness of medicinal materials. 5.2 Demonstration bases and field results Several demonstration sites for off-season cultivation of L. japonicus have been established to test and promote this method. These bases are equipped with systems for automatic temperature control, light regulation, and energy conservation, creating stable growth conditions. In eastern and southern China, yields have increased by around 40% under off-season conditions, and product quality is more consistent (Moraes et al., 2021). A base in Zhejiang province uses precision irrigation and solar-powered systems to reduce water use by 30% and energy costs by about 20%. It also offers training programs for local farmers, helping them operate equipment and manage crops (Figure 2). These efforts have supported broader adoption in surrounding areas (Chen et al., 2020). Figure 2 Off-season cultivation distribution map of Leonurus japonicus (Adopted from Wang et al., 2023)
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