Hanhan Chen^1,2

1 Hangzhou Xiaoshan Xiaonan Family Farm, Hangzhou, 311261, Zhejiang, China
2 Zhejiang Agronomist College, Hangzhou, 310021, Zhejiang, China
Author    Correspondence author
Plant Gene and Trait, 2026, Vol. 17, No. 5   
Received: 08 Aug., 2026    Accepted: 13 Sep., 2026    Published: 23 Sep., 2026

This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Dendrobium officinale is an important orchid species in China with dual medicinal and food uses, and its stem growth and biomass accumulation are directly related to medicinal yield and commercial value. As a key component of artificial cultivation systems, cultivation substrates significantly affect the growth and yield formation of D. officinale by regulating root-zone moisture, aeration, nutrient supply, and the rhizosphere microecological environment. This study focuses on the effects of different cultivation substrates on stem growth characteristics and yield formation of D. officinale. The types and physicochemical properties of organic, inorganic, and mixed substrates were systematically analyzed, with particular emphasis on their effects on plant height, stem length, stem diameter, node number, new stem formation, root growth, biomass accumulation, and yield per plant and per unit area. The results indicate that substrates with moderate water-holding capacity, good aeration, and stable nutrient supply are more favorable for root growth and the maintenance of root activity, thereby promoting stem elongation, stem thickening, new shoot formation, and dry matter accumulation. Among them, rationally formulated mixed substrates based on bark, sphagnum moss, coconut coir, and agricultural and forestry residues can improve plant growth and yield performance by coordinating water, aeration, and nutrient conditions. Substrate effects are also jointly regulated by water and fertilizer management, environmental conditions, and rhizosphere microorganisms. In the future, unified substrate evaluation standards should be established, research on coordinated substrate-water-fertilizer-environment regulation should be strengthened, and the application of renewable substrates and beneficial microbial technologies should be promoted, thereby providing a theoretical basis and technical reference for high-yield, high-quality, and sustainable cultivation of D. officinale.

Dendrobium officinale; Cultivation substrate; Stem growth; Biomass accumulation; Yield formation