Integrated Assessment of Phenotypic Traits and Bioactive Compounds in <i>Astragalus membranaceus</i> var. <i>mongholicus</i>
<i>Astragalus membranaceus</i> var. <i>mongholicus</i> (<i>AMM</i>) is a widely used medicinal plant in China, primarily cultivated in the northern regions; however, the selection and breeding of superior varieties remains underdeveloped. To scientifically assess...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2025-03-01
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| Series: | Horticulturae |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/11/3/317 |
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| Summary: | <i>Astragalus membranaceus</i> var. <i>mongholicus</i> (<i>AMM</i>) is a widely used medicinal plant in China, primarily cultivated in the northern regions; however, the selection and breeding of superior varieties remains underdeveloped. To scientifically assess the germplasm resources of <i>AMM</i> and facilitate its breeding, this study collected 33 germplasm samples from five provinces and conducted a comprehensive evaluation of their botanical traits, agronomic traits, quality traits, and powdery mildew resistance. The results indicated that, among the 18 botanical and agronomic traits, the Shannon–Wiener diversity index (<i>H</i>′) for quantitative traits was higher than that for qualitative traits, with the coefficient of variation ranging from 6.82% to 34.14%. The characterization of five flavonoids and eight saponins based on the established UPLC-Q-TOF/MS technique revealed that 13 compounds showed significant abundance variations across germplasms. Correlation analysis revealed that plants with robust above-ground growth usually have higher yields. Moreover, the number of compound leaflets was positively correlated with flavonoid content in the roots, whereas germplasms with smaller above-ground biomass and thinner roots exhibited higher saponin content. Based on the comprehensive scores (F-value), the top three germplasms were An-31, An-26, and An-28, which may serve as promising breeding materials. Cluster analysis grouped the 33 germplasms into five categories, including high-content and high-yield groups. Five germplasms exhibiting strong disease resistance were identified, with An-26 demonstrating the best performance in yield, quality, and resistance. Furthermore, a negative correlation was observed between powdery mildew resistance and flavonoid content in roots. This study will provide a foundation for the <i>AMM</i> breeding and selection. |
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| ISSN: | 2311-7524 |