Abstract: Growing Angelica sinensis seedlings traditionally on uncultivated alpine meadow land causes habitat destruction, but it can show reduced productivity when grown in continuously cropped farmland. In this study, we compared wild-grown A. sinensis seedlings with those grown in pea-Astragalus alternate stubble in farmland in Min County, where is the plant’s geo-authentic habitats. Physiological indicators were measured at the end of the seedling stage, and the survival and early bolting rates were determined to evaluate differences in resistance between seedlings from uncultivated and cultivated fields. The results showed that there were no significant differences in relative conductivity, amino acid leakage rate, soluble protein and sugar contents, malondialdehyde content, autoxidation rate as well as superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, and catalase activities between the seedlings from the two fields. Compared with the field-grown seedlings, those from uncultivated field showed relatively lower amino acid leakage but higher catalase activity, leading to a 5.32% lower early bolting rate. Compared with the seedlings from uncultivated field, those grown in farmland exhibited lower relative conductivity, higher superoxide dismutase and peroxidase activities, lower malondialdehyde content, 3.33% lower incidence of root disease, 3.06% lower overwintering disease index, 7.52% higher re-greening power after transplantation, and 11.39% higher ratio of medicinal plants. Hence, seedlings of A. sinensis in Min County showed better resistance and lower autotoxicity when cultivated in a double-legume stubble field. Field management should be enhanced to include organic cultivation during the seedling-raising period. These findings provide a scientific and technical basis for the cultivation of A. sinensis seedlings as part of a field rotation system.

Key words: Angelica sinensis, uncultivated field, cultivated field, seedling cultivation, stress resistance