三七是我国传统名贵中药材,也是最具云南特色的药用植物资源。三七是一种典型的喜阴药用植物，我们前期研究发现，在透光率仅为2.8%的荫棚中三七也能生存。生产上，三七需要遮荫栽培。 到目前为止，关于三七的光合特征以及对光的适应策略和主要药效成分皂苷积累特征的研究较少。本项目主要研究生长环境的光照强度变化对不同氮素水下三七形态表征、生长特性、光合生理生化特征以及主要药效成分皂苷含量的影响。探讨的主要科学问题是：1）在不同光照强度下，三七形态表征、生长策略、光合生理生化特征会发生怎样的适应性变化？以及氮素水平对适应性变化的影响。2）三七主要药效成分皂苷积累对光照强度变化有怎样的响应特征？以及氮素水平对响应特征的影响。本项目的科学意义是：1）了解喜阴药用植物对光照强度的适应策略及主要药效成分皂苷积累对光环境的响应特征；2）为喜阴药用植物优质高产栽培提供技术支撑和科学依据。

Panax notogiseng is the traditional and rare Chinese medicinal materials and the medicinal plant resource with the most distinctive Yunnan characteristics. Also, P. notogiseng is a typical shade-tolerant plant. In our previous study, we found that P. notogiseng may survive under growth irradiance of 2.8% full sunlight. In agricultural production, P. notogiseng need to be cultivated under shade growth house. Nowadays, little research has been made to examine photosynthetic traits, the strategy of photosynthetic acclimation, and the pattern in saponin accumulation of active components of P. notogiseng under a gradient light. In this project, we would investigate the effects of light irradiance on morphological characteristics, growth strategy, photosynthetic physiological and biochemical traits, and spaonin accumulation of P. notogiseng in the context of nitrogen supply. We would elucidate the following scientific issues: (1) how does P. notogiseng acclimate to light irradiance by a change in morphology, growth, and photosynthetic physiology and biochemistry, and how does nitrogen affect photosynthetic acclimation to light? (2) How does P. notogiseng accumulate saponin of active components under different levels of growth irradiance, and how does nitrogen affect the pattern in saponin accumulation? The project will possess the following scientific significance: (1) An understanding of a strategy of photosynthetic acclimation and a pattern in saponin accumulation for a shade-tolerant medicinal plant, (2) Providing a technological support and scientific base to high-quality and high-yield of P. notogiseng.