Relationship between inorganic elements in rhizosphere soil and rhizome radial striations in Ligusticum chuanxiong

Abstract

The study is aimed to reveal the fluctuation of the inorganic elements in the rhizosphere soil of Ligusticum chuanxiong during their whole growth period, and explore the relationship between that fluctuation and the formation of radial striations character in the rhizomes. During the cultivation period of L. chuanxiong, the rhizosphere soil samples were taken regularly, and the content of 26 inorganic elements were determined by X-ray fluorescence spectrometry(XRF). Then the difference between the radial striations and un-radial striations rhizomes were analyzed for their fluctuation of the inorganic elements. The results showed that there were different "key period" and "key elements" in the rhizosphere elements content of L. chuanxiong rhizome with radial and un-radial striations, and different element coordination and antagonistic relationship. The key fluctuation period of rhizosphere elements in un-radial striations group were in 0-60 and 60-150 days, of which 22 elements such as Na, Mg, Al were the key elements in 0-60 days, and 5 elements such as Sr, Hf, Pb, Co, Ce were the key elements in 60-150 days. The key fluctuation period of rhizosphere elements in radial striations group were in 0-60 and 210-270 days, of which four elements such as Na, Co, Ce, As are the key change elements in 0-60 days, and 18 elements such as Mg, Al, Si are the key change elements in 210-270 days. At the same time, the study showed that the fluctuation of inorganic elements in rhizosphere soil coincided with the growth and development process of L. chuanxiong and the key period of the formation of "radial striations rhizome". The key stage which the rapid growth of lateral buds of rhizome affected the formation of radial striations is 60-150 days after planting, while the increase of Sr and Co elements is likely to be an important reason for the expansion of lateral buds of rhizome and the failure to form typical "radial striations rhizome" in un-radial striations group.