Accumulation and distribution of N, P and K in Salvia miltiorrhiza Bge. and their relations to the dry matter production and Salvianolic acid B

Salvia miltiorrhiza Bge.is one of Chinese traditional medicine. A field experiment was conducted to study the accumulation characteristics of dry matter, salvianolic acid B, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium of Salvia miltiorrhiza Bge. and their relations. The results show that there are linear significant correlations between the dry matter accumulation and salvianolic acid B and the total accumulative amounts of N, P and K. In the whole growing period, the dry matter accumulation amounts in leaves, stems, flowers and fruits of Salvia miltiorrhiza Bge. increase at first and decrease at the last stages, while the dry matter accumulation amount in roots increase throughout the whole growing period. In the whole growing period, the accumulation amount of salvianolic acid B is in the same trend with the dry matter of Salvia miltiorrhiza Bge. The absorption capacities of N, P and K vary at different developing stages. The absorption capacities of N, P and K of Salvia miltiorrhiza Bge. are comparatively low within 30 days after the transplantation, which only account for 2.68%, 2.23% and 2.20% of the total absorptive capacities, increase rapidly within 60-120 days after the transplantation, which account for 58.57%, 39.92%, 50.18% respectively, and then decrease. In general, the absorption capacity of N is the highest, and the absorption capacity of P is the lowest. The N∶P∶K ratio is 1∶0.12∶0.46 for the whole growing period.