Variation patterns of Coptis teeta biomass and its major active compounds along an altitude gradient

An investigation was made on the biomass and major active compounds of wild and cultivated Coptis teeta along an altitude gradient in Nujiang of Yunnan.The results showed that the rhizome and root biomass of wild C.teeta increased from the altitude 2 100 m to 2 700 m,but the difference was not significant.The rhizome biomass of cultivated C.teeta was 87.5 kg·hm-2 at 2 600 m and 97.0 kg·hm-2 at 2 700 m,being much higher than 34.8 kg·hm-2 at 2 300 m(P0.05).At the same altitudes(2 300 m,2 600 m,and 2 700 m),cultivated C.teeta had higher rhizome and root biomass than wild C.teeta,but the difference was not significant.There was a significant positive correlation between the rhizome and root biomass and the whole plant biomass of wild C.teeta.Wild C.teeta had the highest content of berberine in rhizome(4.60%)and root(1.93%)at 2 700 m,plamatinein in rhizome,and jatrorrhizine in rhizome and root at 2 600-2 700 m,and plamatinein in root at 2 300 m;while cultivated C.teeta had the highest content of berberine in rhizome(4.41%)and root(1.90%)at 2 600 m,plamatinein in rhizome and root,and berberine and jatrorrhizine in root at 2 600-2 700 m,and jatrorrhizine in rhizome at 2 300 m.The content of major active compounds in wild C.teeta rhizome and root were significantly higher at 2 600 m and 2 700 m than at 2 100 m and 2 300 m(P0.05),and the rhizo-me biomass,root biomass,leaf biomass,total biomass,height,and canopy diameter of wild C.teeta ramet increased first and decreased then from the altitude 2 100 m to 2 700 m.Increasing planting density and enhancing artificial management could improve the biomass of C.teeta and its major active compounds concentrations.