Genetic and environmental effect on the growth characteristics and bioactive components of eight-year-old Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch

Licorice derived from Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch is an important traditional Chinese medicine. The cultivated licorice has gradually replaced the wild licorice, becoming the main source, while its quality is unstable. To explore the influence of genetic and environment on the quality of cultivated licorice, the growth characteristics and the contents of glycyrrhizin and liquiritin of eight-year-old licorice were analyzed. The growth characteristics and contents of glycyrrhizin and liquiritin of eight-year-old licorice varied in different provenances. Especially, the contents of lycyrrhizin and liquiritin of different sources existed significant variation owing to genetic expression. Further, the growth characteristics were negatively correlated with temperature and moisture, while the contents of glycyrrhizin and liquiritin were positively correlated with temperature and negatively correlated with moisture. It indicated that there were significant geographic variations in the growth of eight-year-old licorice, which was associated with genetic expression and the ecological environment.