Effects of soil type and organic fertilizers on fatty acids and vitamin E in Korean ginseng (Panax ginseng Meyer).

This study examined the effects of soil type and fertilizer regimes on variations in fatty acids (FAs) and vitamin E (Vit-E) in 6-year-old ginseng roots. We observed significant variation in both FA and Vit-E contents owing to the type and quantity of organic fertilizer used in each soil type during cultivation. Unsaturated FAs were approximately 2.7-fold higher in ginseng than in saturated FAs. Linoleic, palmitic, and oleic acids were the most abundant FAs detected in ginseng roots. Additionally, α-tocopherol was the major Vit-E detected. In particular, the increased application of rice straw compost or food waste fertilizer elevated the quantity of nutritionally desirable FAs and bioactive Vit-E in ginseng root. Partial least square-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) score plots showed that soil type might be the main cause of differences in FA and Vit-E levels in ginseng. Specifically, the PLS-DA model indicated that palmitic acid is a suitable FA marker in determining whether ginseng plants were grown in a paddy-converted field or an upland field. Moreover, linoleic acid levels were highly correlated with α-linolenic acid (r=0.8374; p<0.0001) according to Pearson's correlations and hierarchical clustering analysis. Hence, these preliminary results should prove useful for the reliable production of ginseng containing high phytonutrient quantities according to cultivation conditions.