Effects of Organic and Medium and Trace Element Fertilizers on Yield and Quality of Panax notoginseng

[Objectives] This study aimed to investigate the effects of organic and medium and trace element fertilizers(Ca, Zn, B) on yield and quality of Panax notoginseng to provide theoretical support for rational fertilization in cultivation of P. notoginseng. [Methods] Five fertilization treatments, control(CK), organic fertilizer(OM), zinc fertilizer(ZF), boron fertilizer(BF) and lime(LF), were designed. A two-consecutive-year field plot trail was conducted. The biological traits, yield and saponin content of P. notoginseng were determined. [Results] The application of organic fertilizer had no significant effect on the biological traits of P. notoginseng. Trace element fertilizers significantly increased the scape length of P. notoginseng. Among the treatments, ZF significantly increased the single flower weight but reduced the inflorescence diameter, while the effects of BF were opposite to those of ZF; LF significantly increased the stem thickness and reduced the plant height. All treatments significantly increased the seedling rate of three-year-old P. notoginseng, and the increase in the LF group(20.49%) was the largest, followed by those in the ZF(16.80%) and OM(16.40%) groups, and the increase in the BF group(13.08%) was the smallest. Although OM, ZF and BF treatments caused the root weight of individual plants to decrease, the final yield of each treatment was higher than that of the control group, and the increases in the BF and LF groups exceeded 17%(P<0.05). The total saponin outputs of all the treatments except OM were significantly higher than that of the control group. [Conclusions] Under the conditions of this test, the supplementation of organic and medium and trace element fertilizers on the basis of conventional fertilization will help to increase the yield of P. notoginseng. However, the reduction of the total saponin output of P. notoginseng caused by organic fertilizer cannot be ignored.