Differential analysis of flavonoids in Dendrobium devonianum under two cultivation modes

Dendrobium devonianum is an epiphytic herb of the genus Orchidaceae. In order to study the effect of two cultivation modes on the quality of D. devonianum the chemical composition of D. devonianum under two cultivation modes was analyzed. The results showed that the total anthocyanin content of the 3-year-old epiphytic D. devonianum grown in the epiphytic of Jatropha curcas was higher than that of the 3-year-old D. devonianum grown in the artificial facility cultivation, but the total flavonoid content was lower. This suggests that the cultivation mode may affect the synthesis and accumulation of flavonoids in D. devonianum. Combined with UPLC-MS/MS technique analysis, it was found that the change of cultivation pattern had the most significant effect on the biosynthesis of flavonoids as well as the biosynthetic pathways of flavonoids and flavonols. Among them, 11 differential metabolites showed an upward trend with the change of cultivation pattern, including rhizopodophyllin, apigenin, chanterellin(dihydrokaempferol), and poncirin-2″-O-glucoside, etc. The up-regulated substances were mainly related to the resistance of Dendrobium, and could increase the synthesis of the substances with protective and antistress effects in Dendrobium. Thirteen differential metabolites showed a decreasing trend with the change of cultivation pattern, nerolidol, naringenin*, naringenin chalcone*, 3,5,7-trihydroxyflavanone(phragmitolone), etc. The down-regulated substances were mainly related to the effects of antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, anti-fibrotic, and regulation of apoptosis, etc. The down-regulated substances were mainly related to the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, anti-fibrotic, and apoptosis-regulating effects. These results indicate that the composition of D. devonianum is closely related to the cultivation mode, which is of great significance for further research on D devonianum.