Current obstacles for continuous cropping of Panax species and mitigation strategies

Abstract

Panax species—represented here by Panax ginseng Meyer, Panax quinquefolius L., and Panax notoginseng (Burk.) F. H. Chen—are valued for their saponins and polysaccharides and thus have significant clinical and commercial value. Rising global demand has driven intensive, large-scale cultivation, but repeated monoculture has produced persistent continuous cropping obstacles that now threaten the sustainability of the industry. These obstacles are not attributable to a single factor. Rather, they arise from interacting processes including degradation of soil physical and chemical properties, accumulation of plant-derived toxins that inhibit growth (allelopathic autotoxicity), and shifts in the soil microbial community that impair soil health and plant resilience. Together, these changes lead to stunted growth, reduced yields, and increased disease incidence. This review synthesizes recent advances in understanding continuous cropping obstacles in Panax species. It evaluates evidence for the primary causal factors, assesses current mitigation strategies, and highlights areas where findings are robust or still uncertain. By integrating soil science, plant physiology, and microbial ecology, the review identifies practical approaches already in use and emerging technologies with potential to improve outcomes. Finally, we identify critical knowledge gaps and outline priority directions for future research aimed at clarifying mechanisms and translating that knowledge into an effective management framework. The ultimate goal is to provide a theoretical basis to guide the development of scalable, evidence-based practices that alleviate continuous cropping obstacles in the cultivation of Panax species.