Comparison of Major Nutritional Components in Polygonatum Germplasm Resources from Different Origins

Polygonatum has been widely used in traditional Chinese medicine and as a functional food due to its richness in bioactive compounds and nutritional value. However, comprehensive assessments of the nutritional quality of cultivated Polygonatum germplasm resources remain limited. In this study, 40 Polygonatum germplasms from ten provinces were analyzed for key nutritional components on a dry-weight basis, including polysaccharides, total dietary fiber, vitamin C, protein, and mineral elements. Multivariate analyses (correlation analysis, PCA, membership function scoring, and hierarchical clustering) were applied to comprehensively rank their nutritional quality. Substantial variation was observed across accessions, indicating high genetic diversity. Among them, Polygonatum cyrtonema samples from Huaihua (Hunan), Lu'an (Anhui), Hezhou (Guangxi), and Lishui (Zhejiang), as well as Polygonatum kingianum from Baoshan (Yunnan), exhibited the highest overall nutritional quality, with polysaccharide content exceeding 20%, and the total dietary fiber and total ash contents greater than 24% and 3%, respectively. This study indicates that the substantial variation observed among different Polygonatum germplasm resources increases the likelihood of identifying accessions with high levels of nutritional components, thereby providing a valuable reference for the future industrial development and utilization of Polygonatum as both a medicinal and edible plant resource.