Metabolome transcriptome and antioxidant capacity in Ferula fukanensis rootsDownload PDF Download PDF ArticleOpen accessPublished: 18 September 2026Zhijia Tian1 na1,Bingxin Jia1 na1,Ziyu Yang1,Chenjing Li1,Rui Ni1,Dingguo Zhang2,Li Zhang3 &…Xinyong Guo1 npj Science of Food (2026) Cite this articleSave articleView saved research We’re sharing this article early to provide faster access to peer-reviewed, accepted research. It is citable and carries a permanent DOI. This version is subject to further edits and will be replaced automatically by the final Version of Record. All legal disclaimers apply.AbstractFerula fukanensis is a valuable medicinal and edible plant whose root gum resin is widely used in traditional medicine, but the optimal harvest time remains unclear. Here, we analyzed metabolomes, transcriptomes, and in vitro antioxidant activity of roots at three maturity stages (S1: April, pre-bolting; S2: May, rapid growth; S3: June, aboveground wilting). Using GC-MS, UPLC-MS/MS, and antioxidant assays, we found that S3 roots showed the highest antioxidant activity and the greatest accumulation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), including volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs) such as (E)-sec-butyl propenyl disulfide, and non-volatile metabolites like amino acids and derivatives. Antioxidant activity was positively correlated with root sulfur compound content, while phenolic acids also contributed and exhibited dynamic changes during development. Transcriptomic analysis identified key pathways for flavor and antioxidant formation, highlighting cysteine synthase and serine O-acetyltransferase in VSC regulation, and acetyl-CoA C-acetyltransferase and hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA reductase in sesquiterpene biosynthesis. Additionally, 4-coumarate–CoA ligase and caffeic acid 3-O-methyltransferase played central roles in phenolic acid biosynthesis. Overall, F. fukanensis roots at the S3 stage possess high antioxidant activity and distinctive flavor components, supporting their use as functional food ingredients.AcknowledgementsThis work was financially supported by the XPCC Key Fields Science and Technology Tackling Program (2024) (grant number: 2024AB026), the XPCC Scientific and Technological Achievements Transformation Program (grant number: 2025YD020), and the XPCC Applied Basic Research Program (grant number: 2025DA009).Author informationAuthor notesThese authors contributed equally: Zhijia Tian, Bingxin Jia.Authors and AffiliationsCollege of Life Sciences, Shihezi University, Shihezi, ChinaZhijia Tian, Bingxin Jia, Ziyu Yang, Chenjing Li, Rui Ni & Xinyong GuoCollege of Biological Science and Technology, Yili Normal University, Yining, ChinaDingguo ZhangCollege of Public Health, Shihezi University, Shihezi, ChinaLi ZhangAuthorsZhijia TianView author publicationsSearch author on:PubMed Google ScholarBingxin JiaView author publicationsSearch author on:PubMed Google ScholarZiyu YangView author publicationsSearch author on:PubMed Google ScholarChenjing LiView author publicationsSearch author on:PubMed Google ScholarRui NiView author publicationsSearch author on:PubMed Google ScholarDingguo ZhangView author publicationsSearch author on:PubMed Google ScholarLi ZhangView author publicationsSearch author on:PubMed Google ScholarXinyong GuoView author publicationsSearch author on:PubMed Google ScholarCorresponding authorsCorrespondence to Dingguo Zhang, Li Zhang or Xinyong Guo.Ethics declarationsCompeting interestsThe authors declare no competing interests.Additional informationPublisher’s note Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.Supplementary informationRights and permissionsOpen Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License, which permits any non-commercial use, sharing, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if you modified the licensed material. You do not have permission under this licence to share adapted material derived from this article or parts of it. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article’s Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article’s Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/.Reprints and permissionsAbout this article