Changes in Climatic Conditions, Soil Texture, and Rhizospheric Microorganisms Affect the Quality and Suitable Production Zones of Stellaria dichotoma L. var. lanceolata Bge

Abstract

Background Stellaria dichotoma L. var. lanceolata Bge. (S. lanceolata) is a psammophytic plant endemic to the northwest region of China and serves as a distinctive economic crop. It is the original plant species used in traditional Chinese medicine as Yinchaihu and also finds application in cosmetics production, predominantly growing in arid and semi-arid desert grasslands. In response to the significant changes in habitat and quality of S. lanceolata resulting from shifts in cultivation areas and indiscriminate introductions, this study aims to propose a more scientifically sound delineation of suitable production zones. Results The results indicated migration trends of S. lanceolata towards the central and eastern parts of Inner Mongolia and identified elev, bio_4, bio_13, bio_11, and S_clay as the primary influencing climate and soil environmental factors. Additionally, the rhizosphere microbial environment of S. lanceolata shifted significantly from high to medium suitability habitats. Meanwhile, increasing years of cultivation in introduction area broken the balance in fungal and bacterial diversity in the rhizosphere soil of S. lanceolata, leading to the enrichment of more pathogenic microbial communities, inducing diseases. It further demonstrated the suitability for high suitable zones of S. lanceolata from the perspective of rhizosphere microbiota. Metabolomic analysis revealed substantial changes in metabolic processes and substance accumulation during the migration from high to low suitable zones. Quality evaluations using near-infrared spectroscopy and determination of major component contents confirmed the superior quality of S. lanceolata in high suitable zones. Conclusion Overall, this study revealed the key climatic, soil, and rhizosphere microbial environmental factors influencing the quality formation of S. lanceolata and the selection of suitable production zones, offering guidance for sustainable development and production zone planning.