4년생 인삼의 수확시기에 따른 ginsenoside 및 일반 화학성분의 변화

This study was conducted to know the change pattern of chemical components, especially proximate constituents, saponin and free sugars in roots of 4-year ginseng according to different harvesting time, and to find out the optimum harvesting time on the basis of chemical components in fourth year ginseng root. The crude protein content was 20.77% of the highest on the April (shootinzg stage), 13.13% of the lowest on the June among all growing stages, and was constant at 17% after the August. But crude oil and fiber contents showed the highest value on the May (flowering stage). The content of total sugars which was the largest constituent among the chemical components in ginseng root was in the range of 60∼70% during the all growing stages. It showed the highest value of 71% on the June, but the lowest of 60% on the May. The total free sugar contents was the highest on the April (20.40%), but the lowest on the May (11.89%). The change pattern of sucrose contents (10.96∼19.60%) was same as the total sugars contents (11.89∼20.40%), on the other hand, the contents of glucose and maltose were not changed significantly during all harvesting times. The contents of crude saponins and total ginsenosides had the value of 7.60% and 4.09% on the May, respectively. That was statistically significant, but the other harvesting times were not. Therefore, on the basis of the only chemical characteristics in the four year-old ginseng root, we suggest that the harvesting on the May at flowering stage was most proper time.