Application of SmartRoot in Phenotype Profile Analysis of Armillaria gallica / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To establish a research platform for obtaining accurate phenotypic spectrum data is a technical difficulty that needs to be resolved in the research of traditional Chinese medicine resources. For example，the traditional phenotypic characterization method of Armillaria rhizomorph is mostly in a form of descriptive text，which is subjective and empirical. There is an urgent need for an objective and accurate method to characterize the phenotype of honey fungus rhizomorph. Method:Based on the image processing software Image J and the root identification plug-in SmartRoot combined with the Synbiosis ProtoCol 3 image analyzer，the growth picture of Armillaria spp. was analyzed，and the length，growth rate，branching situation，and angle of nascent rhizomorph of Armillaria gallica were measured to establish a measurement system for the phenotypic analysis of Armillaria rhizomorph. Result:Based on the method developed in this paper，the growth length，growth rate，number of branches，angle of nascent rhizomorph，and other phenotypic changes can be analyzed in a real-time manner without affecting the growth of Armillaria gallica. Armillaria spp. grew fastest at 9-12 days after generation，and the angle between the nascent rhizomorph and the parent rhizomorph was nearly vertical. This method had a certain correlation with the dry weight of traditional Armillaria biomass phenotypic parameters，with a high value in practical application. Conclusion:This study has established an objective，accurate，fast and real-time phenotypic analysis and measurement system for Armillaria rhizomorph，which expands the scope of application of SmartRoot and can be used for phenotypic analysis of traditional Chinese medicine resources under controlled experimental conditions.