Study On Phenotypic Plasticity Of Schisandra Chinensis

Phenotypic plasticity is the characteristic that individuals with the same genotype show different phenotypes in different environments. Phenotypic plasticity is ubiquitous in plants. Current studies on phenotypic plasticity are in experimental plot that control a certain factor. Besides, It is a narrow study of phenotypic plasticity on the same genotype. There are few broad plasticity studies under the condition of wild populations and species level. The current study is focus on generalized plasticity of population-level.Schisandra sphenanthera Rehd. et Wils. is a main species of wild medicinal materials in common use whose resource is severely declined. The research and protection of it is necessary. Leaf is the main functional organ of S.sphenanthera. Leaf would change with environment directly and affect the physiological function and growth of S.sphenanthera. Dried ripe fruit is the medicinal parts of S.sphenanthera. Thus, improving yield and fruit quality is the top priority. Environmental changes have impacts on phenotypic variation of leaf and fruit. Analysis on phenotypic plasticity of its leaf and fruit on population level, exploring the impact of environmental factors, can provide basis for S.sphenanthera protection and fertility.In the present study, firstly we analyzed the phenotypic plasticity on population level of S.sphenanthera on a large scale (9 provinces/cities,26 counties,27 populations), including 7 leaf phenotypes and 12 fruit phenotypes. Secondly, to make a comparison of phenotypic plasticity of leaf and fruit, we use phenotypic plasticity index (PPI) and relative distance plasticity index (RDPI). We analyzed the effect of environmental factors on phenotypes using path analysis. There are totally 15 environmental factors in three types (soil, topographic and climate); 5 soil factors (total nitrogen content (TN), total phosphorus content (TP), total kalium content (TK), total organic carbon content (TOC) and pH value of soil (PH)) and 5 topographic factors (slope (SLOP), aspect (ASPE), altitude (A), longitude (E) and latitude (N)). We select 5 climate factors using principal component analysis and correlation analysis from 19 climate factors. The factors that have correlation with leaf phenotype are annual mean temperature (bio1), mean diurnal range (bio2), temperature seasonality (bio4), annual precipitation (bio 12) and precipitation seasonality (bio 15). The factors that have correlation with fruit phenotype are bio1, isothermality (bio3), maximum temperature of warmest month (bio5), minimum temperature of coldest month (bio6) and bio 12. Thirdly, To Find out the optimum value and suitable range of the factors, we determined the factors that affect phenotype directly and matched the membership functions of phenotype and its direct factors. Finally we make comparison of suitable range of leaf and fruit and the S.sphenanthera habitat suitable area.The main conclusions are as follows:1.7 leaf phenotypes of S.sphenanthera were all with plasticity. The order of them is leaf area (LA)> number of leaves teeth (NLT)> number of secondary veins (NSV)> leaf petiole length (PL)> leaf width (LW)> leaf length (LL)> leaf shape index (LSI). In addition,12 fruit phenotypes also possess plasticity. Particularly, single fruit weight (SFW), fruit shape index (FSI), berry numbers of single fruit (BNSF),100 berries fresh weight (BFW), longitudinal diameter of fruit (LDF),100 berries dry weight (BDW) and fruiting pedicels length (FPL) have great plasticity, while others have little plasticity, including drying rate of fruits (DR), horizontal diameter of fruit (HDF), berry longitudinal diameter (BLD), berry shape index (BSI) and berry horizontal diameter (BHD). Phenotypic plasticity of S.sphenanthera leaf is smaller than that of fruit.2. Correlation analysis shows 10 factors (biol, bio4, bio12, SLOP, E, N, A, TN, TP and TK) have significant correlation with PL, which is the most. There are 3 factors (SLOP, TK, TOC) which have significant correlation with LL, which is the least. LA and LSI has 5 direct factors, respectively. Effect of soil factors on leaf phenotype is the largest, and TK is the most influential factor.3. A total of 9 factors (bio1, bio3, bio6, bio12, ASPE, E, N, A, PH) have significant correlation with BNSF, which is the most. Bio 12, A and PH are direct factors and the other 6 factors are indirect factors. Path analysis shows there are 6 direct factors (bio3, bio6, bio1 2, E, A, TOC) of FPL. Bio3, bio6 and A have significantly negative effect on FPL, while the other 3 factors have positive effect. DR has no direct factor. The number of direct factors of other 10 fruit phenotypes are from 1 to 5. E has the greatest effect on leaf and fruit phenotypes and it’s suitable range is 111.22 °～112.55°.4. Environmental factors which make S.sphenanthera have high quality and yield and their suitable ranges are bio5 (25.75℃-29.23℃), bio6 (-7.39 ℃-2.30℃), SLOP (5.03 °-5.07°), A (1212 m-1244 m), TN (0.124%-0.320%), TP (0.085%-0.120%), TK (1.360%-1.830%), and PH (6.2%-6.9%). Theoretically, we can keep S.sphenanthera growing well with high yield and schisantherin content being up to standard by controlling environmental factors in suitable range.In the current study, we explored S.sphenanthera leaf and fruit phenotypic plasticity as well as the effects of environmental factors on them. Our results provided scientific basis for ex situ conservation, artificial cultivation and high yield and quality of S. sphenanthera.