The Main Characteristics Of South And North Shore Coptis Chinensis French

In this paper Coptis chinensis French from the South and North shore of Changjiang river in Hubei Province were used to study comparatively the differences in morphology, microstructure, biochemical and physiological indexes, the accumulation of minerals such as N, P, K and harmful heavy metals such as Cd, Pb, Hg, As in Coptis chinensis plant and relationship with the contents of these minerals in different soils. The main results showed that:1. Most of the differences in appearance morphological characteristics and microstructure in South and North shore Coptis chinensis were smaller, but there were still some differences. The plant height, branch numbers of South shore Coptis chinensis were slightly higher than that of North shore Coptis chinensis, but the leathery leaves degree was lower than North shore Coptis chinensis, and root cross section was shallower than North shore Coptis chinensis. South shore Coptis had a "bridge" in middle stems, and North shore Coptis chinensis had a "connection bridge" in middle stems. The cells color of South shore Coptis chinensis in the microstructure was lighter than that of North shore Coptis chinensis, its single stone cells was of a big amount, and epidermal cells of scale leaf appeared slightly oblong. More starch grains and fewer stone cells could be seen in North shore Coptis microscopic structure, epidermal cells of scale leaf appeared slightly oblong or elongated polygon.2. The general variation of soluble sugar, protein, total alkaloid content of the South and North shore Coptis chinensis was similar with each other, but most other physiological indices were quite different. The soluble sugar and protein content in the leaf of South and North shore Coptis chinensis which had the same growth date were of no significant differences, but the soluble sugar content in the root of three-year-old South shore Coptis chinensis was significantly higher than North shore Coptis with the same age. The chlorophyll a, b content of South shore Coptis chinensis was significantly lower than North shore Coptis chinensis, and the chlorophyll content was extremely significantly lower than North shore Coptis chinensis, and the leaf color of South shore Coptis chinensis was more shallow. The berberine, palmatine of South shore Coptis chinensis was significantly lower than North shore Coptis chinensis. Therefore, North shore Coptis chinensis had the characteristics of darker leaf color and higher medicinal ingredients.3. South and North shore soil were rich in mineral nutrients, and the soils were acidic with pH values lower than 5, with the water content about 30%. South shore soil showed a high-K content, but nitrogen was much abundant in North shore soil. The cadmium s in the roots of South and North shore Coptis chinensis both exceeded the national limitation, the arsenic in roots of five-year-old South shore Coptis chinensis reached 2.32mg/kg, which’s higher than. But heavy metals content in both South and North shore soil did not exceed the national limitation, heavy metals of North shore soil slightly higher than South shore soil.4. South shore Coptis berberine accumulation had the connection with the soil factors in available nitrogen,, total nitrogen and total phosphorus content, but had no significant correlation with the other soil factors. North shore Coptis chinensis berberine accumulation wan significantly impacted by available kalium, total phosphorus, total nitrogen content. The heavy metals in roots of South and North shore Coptis chinensis both have a significant correlation with that in the soil. Therefore, according to the difference of berberine accumulation of Coptis chinensis in different origin place in this study, for different soil nutrients and the relationship between, proper nitrogen and phosphorus can improve berberine accumulation in South and North shore Coptis chinensis medicinal value, while North shore Coptis chinensis need proper nitrogen and phosphorus and more kalium.