Environmental factors may influence types and contents of active substances. This study investigated the influence of environmental factors on the active substance contents and antioxidant activity of Potentilla fruticosa L. from different regions of China. Also, HPLC fingerprint similarity analysis (SA) coupled with hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) and discriminant analysis (DA) were further introduced for the accurate classification and quality assessment of P. fruticosa. The results showed that altitude was significantly and negatively correlated to the content of tannin (P < 0.05). Annual sunshine duration and altitude were significantly and positively correlated to the flavonoids content, rutin content and antioxidant activity (P < 0.05). Annual mean temperature was significantly and negatively correlated to the content of total phenolics, while altitude was significantly and positively correlated to the content of total phenolics (P < 0.05). Eight samples were unambiguously separated into three groups. Two types of discriminant functions with a 100% discrimination ratio were constructed. All data consistently supported the conclusion that P. fruticosa produced from Kangding, Sichuan Province had high quality among all samples, therefore, Kangding in Sichuan Province with favorable environmental conditions is recommended as a preferable production location.

The quality of traditional Chinese herbal medicine, which plays a very important role in the health system of China, is determined by the active substances produced by the plants. The type, content, and proportion of these substances may vary depending on ecological factors in areas where the plants are grown. Sinopodophyllum hexandrum (Royle) T.S. Ying, an endangered plant species with great medical value, was investigated in eight production locations representative of its natural geographical distribution range in China. The correlation between the contents of the active ingredients extracted from the roots and rhizomes of S. hexandrum and the ecological factors were evaluated step-by-step using a series of computational biology methodologies. The results showed that ecological factors had significant effects on the contents but not on the types of the active ingredients in eight production locations. The primary ecological factors influencing the active substances included the annual average precipitation, July mean temperature, frost-free period, sunshine duration, soil pH, soil organic matter, and rapidly available potassium in the soil. The annual average precipitation was the most important determinant factor and was significantly and negatively correlated with the active ingredient contents (P < 0.001). In contrast, organic matter was the most important limiting factor and was significantly and positively correlated with the active substances. These ecological factors caused 98.13% of the total geographical variation of the active ingredient contents. The climate factors contributed more to the active ingredient contents than did the soil factors. It was concluded that from the view of the contents of the secondary metabolites and ecological factors of each growing location, in Jingyuan, Ningxia Province, and Yongdeng, Gansu Province, conditions were favorable to the production of podophyllotoxin and lignans, whereas in Shangri-La, Yunnan Province, and Nyingchi, Tibet, conditions were favorable to the production of quercetin and kaempferol.

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For the wise use of fungal biocontrol and metalaxyl fungicide, starch–alginate-based formulations have been developed by encapsulating metalaxyl and non-toxigenic Aspergillus flavus spores simultaneously in the form of microspheres using calcium chloride as a cross-linking agent. The formulations were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), a scanning electron micrograph (SEM), and thermogravimetry (TGA). Formulation characteristics, including the bead size, entrapment efficiency, swelling ratio of the beads, and rheological properties, were analyzed. The release behavior of beads with different formulations was evaluated. The addition of kaolin and rice husk powder in starch–alginate beads retarded the release profile of spores and metalaxyl. The release of the active ingredient from starch–alginate–kaolin beads and starch–alginate–rice husk powder beads occurred in both a controlled and sustained manner. Additionally, the release rate decreased with the increase of kaolin or rice husk powder content. The beads added with kaolin were slower than the release of rice husk powder. In comparison, spores released slower and lasted longer than metalaxyl. The starch–alginate–kaolin formulations could be used as controlled release material in the field of biocontrol and reduce the harm of fungicides to the environment.