Research on the reproductive biological characteristics of Amomum villosum Lour. and Amomum longiligulare T. L. Wu.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the influence of biological characteristics on the yield of Amomum villosum Lour. and Amomum longiligulare T. L. Wu, to find an effective pollen viability evaluation method and storage method to solve the problem of the low yield of Amomum plants. METHODS: Five germplasm of Amomum plants were used to investigate the effects of the phenological phase, pollen viability, and stigma receptivity on natural and artificial fruit set. RESULTS: Amomum longiligulare T. L. Wu showed late flowering, and its natural pollination rate is higher than that of Amomum villosum Lour. In all germplasm, the artificial pollination rate and fruit setting rate are more than 3 times higher than that under natural conditions. Fruits begin to drop seven days after successful pollination, and the fruit drop is basically stable after one month. The hybridization verification showed that TTC method was simpler and more accurate than in vitro germination method. Optimal storage conditions for pollen are 4°C and high humidity. After 36 h of storage, pollen can still be used for artificial cross-pollination or as hybrid parents. CONCLUSION: The special biological characteristics are the fundamental reason for the low natural pollination rate of Amomum plants. The accurate measurement method of Amomum plants pollen is the TTC method, and storage at 4°C and high humidity can increase the yield, which was six times that of the natural yield.

[Study on content of volatile oil in Amomum tsao-ko seeds and its influencing factors].

OBJECTIVE: To lay the foundation for quality evaluation of medicinal materials of Amomum tsao-ko and its selection of fine varieties, the variation of percentage of volatile oil in the seeds among populations and individuals and its influencing factors were studied. METHODS: Extracted volatile oil from the seeds according to the Chinese Pharmacopoeia, studied quantitative characters of fruit, and analyzed the data according to SPSS 13.0. RESULTS: The percentage of volatile oil in seeds was greatly significantly different among the 7 populations (P = 0.000 < 0.001), and among different individuals (P = 0.000 < 0.001). A significantly positive correlation was detected between the percentage of volatile oil in seeds and length of fruit (P = 0.024 < 0.05), and significantly negative correlation occurred between the percentage and other quantitative characters or factors, viz. thousand seeds weight (P = 0.031 < 0.05), flower number per inflorescence (P = 0.028 < 0.05), weight of seeds masses per fruit (P = 0.038 < 0.05), altitude (P = 0.014 < 0.05), and latitude (P = 0.000 < 0.001). The regression equation (Y = 1.031 - 1.744 X2 - 1.119 X3 + 2.207 X1) was the optimal regression model of percentage of volatile oil in seeds (X1, X2 and X3 were respectively represented as the length and length-width ratio of fruit,and the weight of seeds masses). CONCLUSION: Environmental factors influence greatly significantly on the percentage of volatile oil in seeds. The production and accumulation of volatile oil would decrease with altitude and latitude increasing. The longer fruit has the higher percentage volatile oil.

Effects of tsaoko (Fructus tsaoko) cultivating on tree diversity and canopy structure in the habitats of eastern hoolock gibbon (Hoolock leuconedys).

In this study, the quadrat method was used to study the effects of tsaoko (Fructus tsaoko) plantation on tree diversity and canopy structure of two natural habitats of eastern hoolock gibbon (Hoolock leuconedys): Nankang (characterized by extensive tsaoko plantation) and Banchang (relatively well reserved and without tsaoko plantation). Totally, 102 tree species from 25 families and 16 woody liana species from 10 families were recorded in Nankang, whereas 108 tree species from 30 families and 17 woody liana species from 12 families were recorded in Banchang. Although the tree species between two habitats is different, both habitats are characterized by enriched food resources for eastern hoolock gibbons, sharing similar dominant plant families. Due to tsaoko plantation, tree density proportion and diversity of forest layerⅠ (>20 m) in Nankang were both significantly decreased, but the tree density of layerⅡ (10-20 m) increased. Likewise, in conjunction with these behavioral observations, we also address potential impacts of tsaoko plantation on the behavior of eastern hoolock gibbon.

[Study on comparison of quantitative multistate character of infructescence of Amomum tsao-ko from five populations].

OBJECTIVE: To study the difference of the quantitative multistate character of infructescence of Amomum tsao-ko from five populations, and the correlations between the quantitative multistate character and altitude, longitude and latitude. METHODS: By observing and analyzing the quantitative multistate character of infructescence of Amomum tsao-ko from five populations. RESULTS: There is highly significant difference among the number of flowerlets each inflorescence from five populations. The higher the altitude, the less the number of flowerlets each inflorescence; and the higher the longitude is, the more the number of flowerlets each inflorescence. The temperature and the humidity of the circumstance affects the number of flowerlets each inflorescence. Lower temperature, higher diurnal variation of temperature, and higher diurnal variation of relative humidity causes less number of flowerlets each inflorescence. There is significantly negative correlation between the number of flowerlets each inflorescence and the maturing rate of infructescence. The difference of the maturing rate of infructescence from five populations don't approach significant level. The difference of the maturing rate of infructescence approaches significant level by multiple comparisons between Magnan population and Baoshan population, Gongshan population and Xichou population. There is not significant correlation between the maturing rate of infructescence and the altitude, the longitude and the latitude. CONCLUSION: The factors of the circumstance affects the number of flowerlets each inflorescence. The climate by the change of the altitude affects the number of flowerlets each inflorescence highly significantly. Selecting the fine genetic resources of Amomum tsao-ko for high yielding, the number of flowerlets of inflorescence is not better character. Maybe the difference of the maturing rate of inflorescence is mainly caused by different genetic resources. Analyzing the difference of genetic regenetic resources of Amomum tsao-ko.

[Study on quantitative multistate character of fruit and seed of Amomum tsaoko].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the regulation of the growth of fruit of Amomum tsaoko and the factors influencing the weight of fruit. METHODS: To compare and analyze the quantitative multistate character of fruit and seed of Amomum tsaoko. RESULTS: The quantitative multistate character of fruit and seed of Amomum tsaoko in populations and between populations were abundant. There was positive relativity between the rate of fertilization of ovule and the rate of fructify and this indicated the different heredity character among plants. The weight of fruit was mainly decided by the weight of seed regiment, The more the seed quantity, the larger the weight of seed regiment, and the larger the weight of fruit, then the higher the yield. The variety of the weight of fruit and the quantity of seed presented peak form along with the proper order of fruit growth in inflorescence but had no relativity. CONCLUSION: The abundant quantitative multistate character of fruit and seed of Amomum tsaoko provide the abundant materials for selecting good varieties. For high yield we should not only choose plants with high rate of fructify and high rate of fertilization of ovule the, but also pay attention to the influence of pollination to yield.