Optimizing cultivation density for Pseudostellaria heterophylla: a novel evaluation strategy integrating electrophysiological and traditional traits for early growth indication
- 1School of Public Health, State Key Laboratory of Discovery and Utilization of Functional Components in Traditional Chinese Medicine, Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Monitoring and Disease of Ministry of Education, Guizhou Medical University
- 2Guizhou Crop Technology Extension Station, Guizhou Agricultural Ecology and Resource Protection Station, Agriculture and Rural Affairs Department of Guizhou Province
- 3Department of Food and Medicine, Guizhou Vocational College of Agriculture
Abstract
Background: Pseudostellaria heterophylla is an herb with medicinal, edible and ornamental uses, and unreasonable planting density severely restricts its growth. Traditional methods for evaluating optimal planting density primarily rely on agronomic traits, yield, and quality indicators, which suffer from significant lag and provide only superficial insights.
Methods: In this study, the electrophysiological information was regarded as key indicator, and the influence of plant density on the growth of P. heterophylla was evaluated through multi-dimensional data.
Results: The results indicate that there were significant differences ( p < 0.05) in electrophysiological indices, electrical signals, intracellular water metabolism, nutrient transport and agronomic traits of P. heterophylla under different planting densities. Electrophysiological responses were faster and more sensitive than traditional methods, showing a non-linear pattern of “low in the middle and high at both ends”. The sensitivity of this response is reflected in the changes of growth state under density stress. When plant density was 80,000 to 100,000 plants per 667 m ² , the above-ground part and underground part grew best, and total biomass and economic benefits were also optimal. When it was 100,000 plants per 667 m ² , the saponin content reached 3.95%. Correlation analysis showed that the electrophysiological signal was positively correlated with the traditional evaluation index, and grey relational analysis indicated that each index at this density performed evenly and excellently. The change of electrophysiological signals had a high correlation with the results of grey relational analysis, which verified that electrophysiological information is an index for early, rapid, non-destructive indication of P. heterophylla growth status.
Conclusion: This study demonstrates that electrophysiological information can serve as an early, rapid, non-destructive indicator of P. heterophylla growth status, and identifies 80,000–100,000 plants per 667 m ² as the optimal planting density. These findings provide a scientific basis for standardized cultivation of P. heterophylla .
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BibTeX
@article{li2026optimizing,
title = {{Optimizing cultivation density for Pseudostellaria heterophylla: a novel evaluation strategy integrating electrophysiological and traditional traits for early growth indication}},
author = {Xiaolong Li and Shiyi Pan and Zelan Wang and Chenglin Tang and Bing Tian and Qiuping Wang and Cheng Zhang and Jun Li},
journal = {Frontiers in Plant Science},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3389/fpls.2026.1943951},
url = {https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2026.1943951/full},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Optimizing cultivation density for Pseudostellaria heterophylla: a novel evaluation strategy integrating electrophysiological and traditional traits for early growth indication
AU - Xiaolong Li
AU - Shiyi Pan
AU - Zelan Wang
AU - Chenglin Tang
AU - Bing Tian
AU - Qiuping Wang
AU - Cheng Zhang
AU - Jun Li
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/09
JO - Frontiers in Plant Science
DO - 10.3389/fpls.2026.1943951
UR - https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2026.1943951/full
AB - Background: Pseudostellaria heterophylla is an herb with medicinal, edible and ornamental uses, and unreasonable planting density severely restricts its growth. Traditional methods for evaluating optimal planting density primarily rely on agronomic traits, yield, and quality indicators, which suffer from significant lag and provide only superficial insights. Methods: In this study, the electrophysiological information was regarded as key indicator, and the influence of plant density on the growth of P. heterophylla was evaluated through multi-dimensional data. Results: The results indicate that there were significant differences ( p < 0.05) in electrophysiological indices, electrical signals, intracellular water metabolism, nutrient transport and agronomic traits of P. heterophylla under different planting densities. Electrophysiological responses were faster and more sensitive than traditional methods, showing a non-linear pattern of “low in the middle and high at both ends”. The sensitivity of this response is reflected in the changes of growth state under density stress. When plant density was 80,000 to 100,000 plants per 667 m ² , the above-ground part and underground part grew best, and total biomass and economic benefits were also optimal. When it was 100,000 plants per 667 m ² , the saponin content reached 3.95%. Correlation analysis showed that the electrophysiological signal was positively correlated with the traditional evaluation index, and grey relational analysis indicated that each index at this density performed evenly and excellently. The change of electrophysiological signals had a high correlation with the results of grey relational analysis, which verified that electrophysiological information is an index for early, rapid, non-destructive indication of P. heterophylla growth status. Conclusion: This study demonstrates that electrophysiological information can serve as an early, rapid, non-destructive indicator of P. heterophylla growth status, and identifies 80,000–100,000 plants per 667 m ² as the optimal planting density. These findings provide a scientific basis for standardized cultivation of P. heterophylla .
SN - 1664-462X
ER -