title: [Relationship between seedling grade and plant growth, yield and quality of medicinal Chrysanthemum morifolium].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To provide the basis for standardization cultivation of medicinal Chrysanthemum morifolium, the relationship between the seedling grading and plant growth, yield and quality were studied.
  
  
  METHODS
  The morphological index of the seedlings was measured and the method of principal component and correlation analysis were used to determine the grading index, and step-wise cluster analysis was applied for clustering analysis. Pot experiments were used to measure the indicators of plant growth and development, yield and quality.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The height and ground diameter were determined for the quality indicators of the seedlings grading, and the standard quality grading of seedlings of Ch. morifolium was initially set up. The ground diameter of the class I and II were larger than that of the class III, and the number of branches of class I and II was more than that of the class III, on the contrary, the plant height of the class III was higher than that of the class I and II. The shape and appearance of the plant had no effect on the intrinsic quality. Flower center diameter and tubular floret number of the class I and II were significantly larger than those of the class III, so as the yield. The seedling grading had no obvious effect on the internal quality of medicinal material.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Seedlings of the class I and class II were suitable for transplanting.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Chinese Medicinal Materials, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China.
authors.forename: Pengfei
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mao
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Qiaosheng
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Guo
mesh_terms: D031202:Chrysanthemum / Q000254:growth & development*; D035264:Flowers / Q000254:growth & development; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional; D036226:Seedlings / Q000254:growth & development*