Effects Of Altitude And Management On Biomass And Major Active Compounds Of Coptis Teeta Wall. In Nujiang, Yunnan

The variations in biomass and major active compounds contents as well as their yields of wild and cultivated Coptis teeta were studied at different altitudes in Nujiang, Yunnan. The results showed that rhizome and root biomass of wild C. teeta increased along an altitude gradient from 2 100 to 2 700 m, but did not differ significantly. Rhizome biomass of cultivated C. teeta was 87.5 kg·hm^-2 at 2 600 m and 97.0 kg·hm^-2 at 2 700m, respectively, that are much higher than 34.8 kg·hm^-2 at 2 300 m (P<0.05). Rhizome and root biomass of cultivated C. teeta were higher than those of wild C. teeta at the same altitude (2 300 m, 2 600 m and 2 700 m), but did not change drastically. Rhizome biomass, root biomass and leaf biomass of wild and cultivated C. teeta were significantly positively related with whole plant biomass. The highest active compound contents in wild C. teeta were obtained at 2 700 m for berberine in rhizome (4.60%) and root (1.93%), at 2 600～2 700 m for plamatinein in rhizome and jatrorrhizine in rhizome and root, and at 2 300 m for plamatinein in root. The highest compound contents in cultivated C. teeta were obtained at 2 600 m for berberine in rhizome (4.41%) and root (1.90%), at 2 600～2 700 m for plamatinein in rhizome and root, and berberine and jatrorrhizine in root, and at 2 300 m for jatrorrhizine in rhizome. The major compounds yields in rhizome and root of wild C. teeta at 2 600 m and 2 700 m were significantly higher than those at 2 300 m (P<0.05). Rhizome biomass, root biomass, leaf biomass, total biomass, height and canopy diameter of ramet of wild C. teeta increased and then decreased along an altitude gradient from 2100 to 2700 m. Light played a significantly important role in biomass allocation of C. teeta. Increasing density and enhancing management could improve biomass and major active compounds yields.