Bioscience Evidence 2026, Vol.16, No.4, 277-290 http://bioscipublisher.com/index.php/be 278 For commercial production, the main challenge is no longer simply increasing yield per unit area, but maintaining stable rhizome quality while expanding cultivation. At present, A. macrocephala production faces several problems, including the decline in planting material quality, increasing continuous-cropping obstacles, serious root rot, and unstable accumulation of bioactive compounds among different production regions (Gao et al., 2024). As cultivation continues to expand, growers are paying more attention to producing consistently high-quality medicinal materials rather than simply achieving successful cultivation. Therefore, this review summarizes how planting materials and germplasm resources influence rhizome development and medicinal quality in A. macrocephala. It also discusses the effects of environmental factors, including soil conditions, temperature, water availability, light, and regional ecology, on quality formation. In addition, the effects of cultivation practices such as fertilization, irrigation, crop rotation, harvest timing, and disease management are comprehensively evaluated. Evidence from Zhejiang and neighboring production regions is incorporated to link field production with medicinal quality. Rather than relying only on laboratory analysis of chemical compounds, this review integrates germplasm resources, ecological conditions, field management, and market value to provide a more complete understanding of quality formation and to support the development of stable, science-based cultivation systems for high-quality A. macrocephala. 2 Effects of Cultivars and Planting Materials on Production 2.1 Differences among cultivars and germplasm resources The production of high-quality Atractylodes macrocephala begins with the correct plant source. The genus Atractylodes includes several closely related species, such as A. macrocephala, A. japonica, A. lancea, and A. chinensis. Their rhizomes are similar in appearance and aroma, but they differ in chemical composition and medicinal uses. In addition, the botanical origin of Atractylodes medicinal materials is defined differently among East Asian countries. Ma et al. (2023) collected 59 batches of Atractylodes samples and compared the volatile compounds of A. macrocephala, A. japonica, A. lancea, and A. chinensis using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). A total of 50 volatile compounds were identified. Five compounds, including hinesol, β-eudesmol, atractylon, atractylodin, and atractylenolide I, showed strong discriminatory power and allowed accurate identification of the four species. These results indicate that even when rhizomes look similar, their chemical profiles can differ greatly. Therefore, closely related species should not be substituted based only on their external appearance. The performance of a genotype is also influenced by the growing environment. The same planting material may produce different yields and accumulate different levels of bioactive compounds under different soil conditions, climates, and cultivation practices. Zhou et al. (2025) evaluated the same cultivar, "Second-Year Improved No. 1", in four production regions, including Pan'an in Zhejiang Province, Bozhou in Anhui Province, Zhoukou in Henan Province, and Anguo in Hebei Province. Significant differences in biomass and several bioactive compounds were observed among the production regions. Plants grown in Pan'an produced higher biomass and higher concentrations of several major bioactive compounds than those grown in the other regions. 2.2 Effects of seed and planting material quality on growth and yield In A. macrocephala production, seeds, seedlings, and planting rhizomes are different propagation materials and should not be confused. Seeds are used for nursery production. The small rhizomes harvested from nursery beds in the first autumn are commonly called planting rhizomes, which are stored during winter and transplanted into the field in the following growing season. Seed quality mainly affects seedling emergence, whereas the quality of planting rhizomes has a more direct influence on field survival, plant uniformity, and subsequent rhizome development. Therefore, attention should be paid to seed freshness, the health of planting rhizomes, and uniform rhizome size before field planting (Figure 1). The germination ability of A. macrocephalaseeds declines rapidly during storage. Fresh, fully mature seeds with a known origin and no insect damage should therefore be used for nursery production. Seeding density is another important factor. Excessively dense sowing increases competition for light, water, and nutrients, resulting in
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