Medicinal Plant Research 2024, Vol.14, No.4, 234-244 http://hortherbpublisher.com/index.php/mpr 235 officinale. This study expected to provide valuable insights for cultivation practices aimed at enhancing the medicinal value of D. officinale, thereby supporting its sustainable production and clinical application. 2 Physiological Characteristics of Dendrobium officinale 2.1 Overview of physiological traits inDendrobium officinale Dendrobium officinale exhibits several physiological adaptations that enable it to thrive under specific environmental conditions (Figure 1). For instance, the plant's ability to form associations with mycorrhizal fungi significantly enhances its tolerance to environmental stressors, such as drought and pathogenic attacks. Studies have shown that mycorrhizal fungi like Hyphomycete sp., Umbelopsis sp., and Ceratorhiza sp. can improve the survival rate and fresh weight of D. officinale by increasing its resistance to root rot pathogens and enhancing its drought tolerance (Yan et al., 2015; Li et al., 2021a). Additionally, the plant's growth and quality are influenced by ecological factors such as humidity, temperature, and soil nutrients, which are critical for optimizing its medicinal properties (Yuan et al., 2020). The medicinal properties of D. officinale are largely attributed to its unique metabolic traits, including the biosynthesis of polysaccharides, alkaloids, and flavonoids. These compounds are influenced by various cultivation conditions. For example, light and potassium treatments have been shown to increase the anthocyanin content in the pseudobulbs, contributing to the plant's medicinal quality (Jia et al., 2022). Furthermore, the plant's ability to accumulate significant amounts of polysaccharides, alkaloids, and flavonoids in different organs, such as stems and leaves, underscores its therapeutic potential (Wang et al., 2021b). Figure 1 The actual scene of Dendrobium officinalestone pillar cultivation in the Senshan Guocao Expo Garden Base of Yiwu Senyu Agricultural Science and Technology Co., Ltd 2.2 Photosynthesis and its role in plant growth Photosynthesis plays a crucial role in the growth and development of D. officinale. The plant's photosynthetic efficiency is highly responsive to light conditions. For instance, the use of red-blue LED light has been shown to enhance the photosynthetic activity and overall quality of D. officinale by optimizing the expression of genes involved in flavonoid biosynthesis (Jia et al., 2022). Blue light and blue laser irradiation can significantly increase the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (POD) in D. officinale and significantly promote the accumulation of flavonoids and polysaccharides (Li et al., 2022). These indicate that controlled light conditions can significantly impact the plant's growth and medicinal properties. The efficiency of photosynthesis directly contributes to biomass accumulation in D. officinale. Enhanced photosynthetic activity leads to increased production of essential metabolites, which are crucial for the plant's growth and medicinal value. For example, the accumulation of polysaccharides and other secondary metabolites is closely linked to the plant's photosynthetic performance under optimal light conditions (Yang et al., 2023). This relationship highlights the importance of photosynthesis in supporting the overall biomass and quality of D. officinale.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjQ4ODYzNA==