Metabolomic profiling of Panax ginseng in response to Fusarium solani infection

Ginseng root rot is the most common and serious soil-borne fungal disease, among which Fusarium solani is a relatively strong pathogenic fungus causing ginseng root rot. However, systematic studies on the changes of metabolites in ginseng during Fusarium solani infection are lacking. Here, the overall changes of metabolites in ginseng during this process were analyzed based on ultra performance liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) metabolomics technology. When ginseng was infected by Fusarium solani, the metabolite content of ginseng changed with different infection time. The main differential metabolites were saponins, sugars and organic acids, among which the up-regulated metabolites were sugars and organic acids. It is speculated that these metabolites may be disease-resistant compounds. The up-regulation of sugars and organic acids might be the main reason for the improvement of ginseng's resistance to Fusarium solani. And the down-regulated metabolites were saponins, the changes of these metabolites might affect the quality of ginseng. This study preliminarily reveals the differences in metabolites of ginseng infected with Fusarium solani from the perspective of plant metabolomics, and elucidates the basis of material changes in the effect of Fusarium solani stress on the quality of ginseng herbs. The results indicated that biological stress directly affects the quality of ginseng herbs, which provided a reference for the in-depth study of ginseng root rot resistance indicators. •This study preliminarily reveals the differences in metabolites of ginseng infected with Fusarium solani.•The study might provide a reference for the in-depth study of ginseng root rot resistance indicators.•This study preliminarily elucidated the basis of the material changes of Fusarium solani stress on the quality of ginseng.