Abstract:

The correlation between soil factors and the quality of Licorice was studied, of which the leading affecting factor was also screened out. HPLC method was applied to the determination of the content of six active ingredients from different origins in Gansu. Physico-chemical analysis was applied for determining soil factor, including organic matter, pH, total nitrogen, ammonium nitrogen, nitrate nitrogen, total phosphorus, available phosphorus, total potassium, available potassium. The application of correlation analysis and grey relational analysis was made to complicate a comprehensive analysis. The results showed that correlation coefficient of glycyrrhizin and available phosphorus was 0.519*; glycyrrhetinic acid and ammonium nitrogen was -0.411*. Available potassium, ammonium nitrogen and pH played the most important roles in the synthesis and metabolism of flavonoids in licorice. Therefore, special attentions should be paid to the effects of N-, K and PH conditions on the quality of radix in the choice of soil and fertilization.