Light Intensity and Gibberellic Acid Differentially Shape Primary Metabolism and Ginsenoside Profiles in Panax ginseng Sprouts
4 affiliations
- 1Department of Herbal Crop Research, National Institute of Horticultural and Herbal Science, Rural Development Administration, Eumseong 27709, Republic of Korea
- 2BK21 FOUR KNU Creative BioResearch Group, School of Life Sciences, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, Republic of Korea
- 3Department of Food Sciences, National Institute of Crop and Food Science, Rural Development Administration, Wanju 55365, Republic of Korea
- 4Department of Horticultural Crop Research, National Institute of Horticultural and Herbal Science, Rural Development Administration, Muan 58545, Republic of Korea
Abstract
Ginseng sprouts (Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer) are mostly cultivated under controlled indoor conditions, allowing modulation of growth and phytochemical composition through environmental and hormonal treatments. In this study, 1H NMR and UPLC-QTOF/MS were used to investigate the independent and interactive effects of light intensity and gibberellic acid (GA3) on primary metabolism and ginsenoside profiles. While GA3 promoted shoot growth, high light reduced plant height but increased root dry weight. Multivariate analysis of 42 identified primary metabolites and 26 ginsenosides revealed that the primary metabolite profiles are primarily distinguished by GA3, whereas ginsenoside profiles are more clearly differentiated based on light intensity. GA3 broadly increased soluble carbohydrates and decreased free amino acids, whereas light intensity had a selective effect on some primary metabolites. In contrast to the limited interaction effects in primary metabolism, significant interactions between light and GA3 were detected for eight ginsenosides. High-intensity light increased the content of several ginsenosides, including Re, Rg1, Rd, Rb2, and Rc, while decreasing protopanaxadiol (PPD)-type ginsenosides that lack a sophorosyl moiety at C-3. Correlation analysis across the experimental conditions revealed coordinated variation between primary metabolites and ginsenosides, with the most prominent pattern corresponding to the light-response axis. Overall, GA3 and light intensity exerted distinct but interconnected effects across metabolic layers, providing a framework for understanding how cultivation factors determine growth and phytochemical composition in ginseng sprouts.
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BibTeX
@article{kim2026light,
title = {{Light Intensity and Gibberellic Acid Differentially Shape Primary Metabolism and Ginsenoside Profiles in Panax ginseng Sprouts}},
author = {Seonghye Kim and Bo-Ram Choi and Hyeon Seon Na and Jin-Kyu Jang and Seung-Yeob Song and Jung-Woo Lee and Young Seob Lee and Kwan-Woo Kim and Dae Young Lee and Dahye Yoon},
journal = {International Journal of Molecular Sciences},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3390/ijms27219614},
url = {https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/27/21/9614},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Light Intensity and Gibberellic Acid Differentially Shape Primary Metabolism and Ginsenoside Profiles in Panax ginseng Sprouts
AU - Seonghye Kim
AU - Bo-Ram Choi
AU - Hyeon Seon Na
AU - Jin-Kyu Jang
AU - Seung-Yeob Song
AU - Jung-Woo Lee
AU - Young Seob Lee
AU - Kwan-Woo Kim
AU - Dae Young Lee
AU - Dahye Yoon
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/27
JO - International Journal of Molecular Sciences
DO - 10.3390/ijms27219614
UR - https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/27/21/9614
AB - Ginseng sprouts (Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer) are mostly cultivated under controlled indoor conditions, allowing modulation of growth and phytochemical composition through environmental and hormonal treatments. In this study, 1H NMR and UPLC-QTOF/MS were used to investigate the independent and interactive effects of light intensity and gibberellic acid (GA3) on primary metabolism and ginsenoside profiles. While GA3 promoted shoot growth, high light reduced plant height but increased root dry weight. Multivariate analysis of 42 identified primary metabolites and 26 ginsenosides revealed that the primary metabolite profiles are primarily distinguished by GA3, whereas ginsenoside profiles are more clearly differentiated based on light intensity. GA3 broadly increased soluble carbohydrates and decreased free amino acids, whereas light intensity had a selective effect on some primary metabolites. In contrast to the limited interaction effects in primary metabolism, significant interactions between light and GA3 were detected for eight ginsenosides. High-intensity light increased the content of several ginsenosides, including Re, Rg1, Rd, Rb2, and Rc, while decreasing protopanaxadiol (PPD)-type ginsenosides that lack a sophorosyl moiety at C-3. Correlation analysis across the experimental conditions revealed coordinated variation between primary metabolites and ginsenosides, with the most prominent pattern corresponding to the light-response axis. Overall, GA3 and light intensity exerted distinct but interconnected effects across metabolic layers, providing a framework for understanding how cultivation factors determine growth and phytochemical composition in ginseng sprouts.
SN - 1422-0067
ER -