Bioscience Evidence 2026, Vol.16, No.4, 277-290 http://bioscipublisher.com/index.php/be 277 Research Insight Open Access Cultivation Practices Affecting Quality Formation inAtractylodes macrocephala JieZhang1, Yincheng Zhao 2 1 Institute of Life Science, Jiyang College of Zhejiang A&F University, Zhuji, 311800, Zhejiang, China 2 Tropical Medicinal Plant Research Center, Hainan Institute of Tropical Agricultural Resources, Sanya, 572025, Hainan, China Corresponding email: jie.zhang@jicat.org Bioscience Evidence, 2026, Vol.16, No.4 doi: 10.5376/be.2026.16.0021 Received: 01 Jul., 2026 Accepted: 03 Aug., 2026 Published: 15 Aug., 2026 Copyright © 2026 Zhang and Zhao, This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Preferred citation for this article: Zhang J., and Zhao Y.C., 2026, Cultivation practices affecting quality formation in Atractylodes macrocephala, Bioscience Evidence, 16(4): 277-290 (doi: 10.5376/be.2026.16.0021) Abstract Atractylodes macrocephala Koidz. is one of the most important cultivated medicinal plants in East Asia. Its market value depends on a balance among yield, rhizome appearance, the reputation of genuine medicinal materials (Daodi herbs), and the accumulation of bioactive compounds such as atractylone and atractylenolides. The quality of A. macrocephala is not determined by a single factor, but by the combined effects of planting materials, ecological conditions, rhizosphere microbial communities, cultivation practices, harvest timing, and post-harvest processing. This review explains how cultivation practices influence rhizome growth and the formation of medicinal quality inA. macrocephala. Studies from major production areas, including Pan'an and Tiantai in Zhejiang Province, show that ecological suitability and a balanced rhizosphere microbial community are closely associated with the accumulation of bioactive compounds and commercial grade. Current evidence supports a shift from production systems focused mainly on high yield to quality-oriented systems with strong regional characteristics. Germplasm selection, soil health, ecological adaptation, and standardized post-harvest processing should be managed as an integrated quality formation chain. These factors will continue to serve as the foundation for future quality standardization of A. macrocephala. Keywords Atractylodes macrocephala; Medicinal plant cultivation; Rhizome quality; Atractylenolides; Daodi medicinal materials; Zhejiang; Continuous cropping; Post-harvest processing 1 Introduction Atractylodes macrocephala Koidz. is the original plant of Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma, one of the most widely used traditional Chinese medicinal materials, and has long been cultivated as an important medicinal and edible crop in East Asia. Its medicinal part is the dried rhizome, which contains abundant sesquiterpenes, polysaccharides, polyacetylenes, and other bioactive compounds. These compounds are the main material basis for its pharmacological activities, including improving gastrointestinal function, anti-inflammatory effects, immune regulation, and other biological functions. Therefore, A. macrocephala has broad applications in traditional medicine, modern herbal preparations, and health products (Zhu et al., 2018; Xie et al., 2023). With the growing demand for medicinal plants, the cultivation of A. macrocephala has expanded from its traditional Daodi production areas, such as Zhejiang Province, to emerging production regions including Anhui, Henan, Hebei, and other parts of China. However, Zhejiang-grown A. macrocephala still has a strong market reputation because of its favorable ecological conditions, long cultivation history, and well-established production practices. Noticeable differences in chemical composition, rhizome appearance, color, and aroma have been reported among production regions. Comprehensive evaluations have shown that samples from Zhejiang generally achieve higher overall quality than those from many other regions (Yang et al., 2024). The quality of A. macrocephala cannot be evaluated by measuring a single chemical compound alone. Rhizome appearance, internal structure, aroma, and commercial characteristics should also be considered. According to the Chinese Pharmacopoeia and commercial grading standards, important quality indicators include rhizome size, firmness, aroma, cross-sectional texture, color, and the content and stability of characteristic bioactive compounds. In recent years, atractylone and atractylenolides I, II, and III have become the major chemical markers for quality evaluation. Chromatographic fingerprinting, multi-component quantification, comprehensive quality assessment, and pattern recognition have also been widely used to distinguish A. macrocephala from different production regions, harvest batches, and commercial grades (Zhan et al., 2022).
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjQ4ODYzNA==