Bioscience Evidence 2026, Vol.16, No.4, 304-315 http://bioscipublisher.com/index.php/be 306 Zhang et al. (2021) analyzed the growth performance of D. officinale materials from different origins in Yunnan under different cultivation locations and found that both genetic origin and planting environment significantly affected biomass accumulation. The study evaluated nine germplasm sources cultivated at five different locations. Significant differences were observed in stem biomass, leaf biomass, and total biomass among different sources and among the same source grown under different environments, indicating strong genetic–environment interactions in D. officinale production performance. The study further compared stem traits and quality characteristics among different sources and showed that agronomic traits, including fresh stem weight, stem length, and stem diameter, could be combined with metabolic characteristics and antioxidant capacity for comprehensive evaluation. 2.2 Medicinal quality components Because mature stems are the main medicinal part of D. officinale, polysaccharide content in stems directly affects the quality of commercial medicinal materials. Chen et al. (2021b) reported that polysaccharides are important active components of D. officinale and one of the major quality indicators listed in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia. In current production, polysaccharide content is commonly used as a primary indicator for evaluating medicinal quality, together with other parameters such as moisture content, ash content, and extract content. D. officinale polysaccharides are mainly composed of mannose and glucose, with small amounts of other monosaccharides, including galactose, xylose, and arabinose. Their structures and contents may vary depending on the plant origin and growth conditions. Even when polysaccharide contents are similar, the composition of small-molecule active compounds may differ among samples from different regions or cultivation conditions. He et al. (2022) analyzed the chemical composition of D. officinale from different regions using UPLC-Q-TOF/MS and found significant differences in various small-molecule compounds among different samples. These results indicate that quality evaluation of D. officinale should gradually shift from single-component analysis toward comprehensive evaluation based on multiple compounds. Yuan et al. (2020) also used ecological factors to evaluate quality formation and selected polysaccharides, total flavonoids, and total alkaloids as major quality indicators. By comparing wild, simulated-wild, and greenhouse cultivation systems, they demonstrated that different environmental conditions significantly affected the accumulation of these active compounds. Flavonoids and phenolic compounds are also important components for evaluating the quality of D. officinale. These compounds are generally associated with antioxidant capacity and environmental adaptation. Luo et al. (2023) analyzed D. officinale materials from different origins using HPLC combined with metabolomics approaches and found clear metabolic differences among samples. A total of 411 metabolites were identified, including 136 differential metabolites, which were mainly associated with flavonoid, phenolic acid, and alkaloid-related metabolic pathways. Some flavonoid metabolites showed significant correlations with antioxidant capacity, indicating that environmental conditions and genetic background influence not only the total content of active compounds but also the composition and distribution of bioactive substances. 3 Effects of Environmental Factors on Growth and Quality Formation of Dendrobium officinale 3.1 Light management In natural habitats, D. officinale mainly grows on tree trunks or rock surfaces in forest environments and has therefore adapted to low-light and diffuse-light conditions. During artificial cultivation, either excessive or insufficient light intensity may negatively affect normal plant growth. Suitable light conditions can promote leaf photosynthesis and biomass accumulation, while also regulating the formation of active compounds such as polysaccharides, flavonoids, and anthocyanins. Guo et al. (2025) investigated the responses of D. officinale to different light intensities and found clear differences under various light conditions. Strong light could enhance antioxidant capacity and structural carbohydrate accumulation but also limited plant height increase, reduced photosynthetic performance, and increased oxidative stress. In contrast, insufficient light promoted certain aspects of morphological growth but did not result in optimal quality characteristics. Under moderate light intensity
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