Effects of methylisothiazolinone stress on the growth and development of ginseng adventitious roots as well as on ginsenoside accumulation

Methylisothiazolinone (MIT) is a water-soluble, low-molecular-weight, nitrogen-containing preservative and fungicide widely used in personal care products and construction materials to prevent microbial growth. However, with the continuous input of wastewater and rainwater, MIT repeatedly enters the soil, leading to environmental contamination, though its potential effects on medicinal plant growth remain poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the toxic effects of MIT on ginseng root growth.