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Open Access

ARTICLE

Eco-Metabolomic Assessment of Aconitum heterophyllum in the Kashmir Himalaya; Integrating Morphological, Edaphic, Phytochemical, Antioxidant and Climatic Factors

Mir Muskan Un Nisa1, Ishtiyak Ahmad Peerzada1,*, Rashid Mir2, Talib Bashir Bhat3,*, Naseh A. Algehainy2, Mohammed M. Jalal2, Malik A. Altayar2, Faris J. Tayeb2, Ruqaiah I. Bedaiwi2, Ibrahim Altedlawi Albalawi4
1 Division of Forest Products and Utilization, Faculty of Forestry, Sher-E-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir, Benhama Ganderbal J&K, Srinagar, India
2 Prince Fahd Bin Sultan chair for biomedical research, Department of Medical Laboratory Technology, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, University of Tabuk, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia
3 Division of Natural Resource Management, Faculty of Forestry, Sher-E-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir, Benhama Ganderbal J&K, Srinagar, India
4 Department of Surgical Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tabuk, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia
* Corresponding Author: Ishtiyak Ahmad Peerzada. Email: email; Talib Bashir Bhat. Email: email
(This article belongs to the Special Issue: Aromatic and Medicinal Plants: Sustainable Cultivation and Ecology, Phytochemical Diversity, and Bioactive Applications)

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany https://doi.org/10.32604/phyton.2026.086958

Received 08 June 2026; Accepted 27 August 2026; Published online 15 September 2026

Abstract

The present study elucidated the integrated relationships among plant morphology, phytochemical composition, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical-scavenging activity, soil properties, and climatic drivers of Aconitum heterophyllum Wall. ex Royle, a critically endangered medicinal plant endemic to the Kashmir Himalaya, India. Significant site-specific variations were observed in the aboveground morphological traits, with the Langate Forest Division (LFD) populations exhibiting superior vegetative growth and vigor. Soil parameters, particularly soil organic carbon and soil potassium, were strongly associated with improved plant morphology and antioxidant activity. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) profiling of volatile and semi-volatile metabolites identified LFD as the most chemically diverse ecotype, whereas the Jhelum Valley Forest Division (JVFD) revealed a stress-responsive metabolite signature, and Kamraj Forest Division (KFD) showed constrained metabolic expression under comparatively less favourable conditions. Multivariate analyses suggested a synergistic influence of soil nutrients and climatic factors on plant performance and metabolic outcomes. Overall, the superior ecological performance and higher DPPH radical-scavenging activity of the LFD populations highlight their suitability for germplasm collection, sustainable utilization, and conservation. These findings provide a robust scientific basis for site-specific conservation planning, habitat management, and the development of climate-resilient cultivation strategies for this critically endangered medicinal plant.

Keywords

Soil-fertility; eco-metabolomic; phytochemical; GC-MS profiling; conservation

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