Unveiling ecological drivers of medicinal quality in Atractylodes lancea via structural equation modeling

Atractylodes lancea , a high-demand artificially cultivated traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) valued for its volatile oils (e.g., atractylodin), faces quality instability due to geographic variation, which constitutes a key industrial constraint. Ecological factors influence secondary metabolite accumulation; however, the synergistic effects of climate, geography, and soil (including mineral nutrition and physicochemical properties) and their key regulators remain unclear. In this study, we hypothesized that specific climatic factors and mineral elements regulate volatile oil accumulation in A. lancea . Rhizome and soil samples, along with environmental data, were collected from four major production regions. Eight volatile oil components (e.g., atractylodin, β -eudesmol), four soil physicochemical properties, and 41 mineral elements in both plant and soil matrices were quantified. Rhizomes from Tongliao (Inner Mongolia) and Chengde (Hebei) exhibited markedly higher atractylodin content. Mineral elements (e.g., Sr), climatic indices (e.g., Drought Index), and chemical compounds showed strong correlations. Structural equation modeling (SEM) identified Sr and Ti as key regulators of volatile oil biosynthesis. These regulatory roles were validated through both A. lancea hairy root experiments and whole-plant pot experiments. Notably, Sr exhibited a typical hormetic dose-response effect on atractylodin accumulation. This study provides a comprehensive environmental dataset for major A. lancea production areas, establishes a foundation for high-quality ecological cultivation, and offers a scientific basis for targeted mineral supplementation strategies to enhance the quality of A. lancea .