Integrated morphological observation, metabolomics, and transcriptomics to investigate the effect of growth years on the quality of Atractylodes macrocephala Koidz.

Background: Atractylodes macrocephala Koidz. is a medicinal plant in high clinical demand due to its pharmacological efficacy. However, research on its quality dynamics across different growth years remains limited, primarily focusing on transcriptomics, microbiome analysis, and photosynthetic capacity, with studies only extending to three-year-old plants.

Results: This study examines A. macrocephala over a broader growth span (1, 2, 3, 5, and 10 years), integrating morphological, microstructural, metabolomic, spatial metabolite distribution, and transcriptomic analyses. Morphologically, rhizome weight and length increased with age, and the characteristic "Hejing" structure became more pronounced. Microstructural analysis revealed progressively developed xylem. Metabolomic profiling indicated a decline in sucrose content, alongside increased accumulation of bioactive sesquiterpenoids and phenolic acids over time. Transcriptomic analysis showed that genes involved in the biosynthesis of these active compounds-terpenoid backbone (HMGR, DXS, idi, GPS, and GGPS), phenylpropanoid (PAL, 4CL, and HCT), and sucrose metabolism (SPS and SPP)-were upregulated in older plants. Desorption electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry imaging (DESI-MSI) revealed an expanded distribution of key metabolites with increasing growth years.

Conclusion: The findings suggest that A. macrocephala aged 5 and 10 years exhibit superior quality, with a more distinct "Hejing" morphology and higher levels of bioactive compounds. The quality stabilises after five years, indicating that older plants may possess enhanced medicinal value.