Influence of Planting Density on Yield and Ginsenoside Levels of Panax quinquefolius L.

ABSTRACT Field trials were established to determine the effects of fungicide treatment and seeding density on yield and ginsenoside concentration in roots of ginseng (Panax quinquefolius L.). The application of the fungicides metalaxyl and fosetyl-Al had no effect on plant stand or root weights. As seeding density increased from 50 seeds/m2 to 240 seeds/m2, the number of roots at harvest and total dry root weight increased, but average root size decreased. The increases were best described by nonlinear regressions using exponential rise to maximum equations or, in the case of mean dry weight per root, by hyperbolic and exponential decay equations. The total concentration of ginsenosides in roots was not affected by seeding density. The amounts of ginsenosides Re and Rb2 were slightly, but not significantly, increased as seeding density increased.