Attention should be paid to drought prevention and water conservation in cultivation of Polyporus umbellatus

Polyporus umbellatus belongs to the family Polyporaceae, and its underground sclerotia is a rare traditional Chinese medicine, which is beneficial to urine infiltration and detumescence. Polyporus umbellatus mostly supplies the market with wild products, which are distributed in mountainous areas with an elevation of 1000 to 2000 meters above sea level. In recent years, with the excessive mining in Polyporus umbellatus producing areas and the sharp decrease of wild resources, the contradiction between supply and demand of Polyporus umbellatus has become increasingly prominent. A technique of semi-wild cultivation of Polyporus umbellatus under forest is introduced in this paper.

Selected location:

Polyporus umbellatus relies on Armillaria mellea to provide nutrition, while Armillaria mellea is an active microorganism that must be parasitic or saprophytic on trees. The key to the high quality and high yield of Polyporus umbellatus is the harmonious symbiosis of Polyporus umbellatus and Armillaria mellea. Therefore, the vegetation conditions for the survival of Polyporus umbellatus must be taken into account when selecting the site. The secondary shrub fuel forest is the most suitable for planting Polyporus umbellatus, and the environment of loose and fertile humus soil, temperature 6 ℃ ~ 30 ℃, soil moisture 30% 50%, air relative humidity 65% 85% is the most suitable for the growth of Polyporus umbellata.

Planting period:

After Armillaria mellea invaded the sclerotia of Polyporus umbellatus, the sclerotia showed white, gray and black colors, commonly known as Bailing, Huiling and Black Ling, which generally represented the growth stage of Polyporus umbellatus in the current year, the following year and the third year. Wild Polyporus umbellatus can be planted at any time except that it cannot be planted during the freezing period in winter. The artificial cultivation of Polyporus umbellatus is the most suitable from March to May, and the newly grown Polyporus umbellatus in the first year of this period becomes grey, which is suitable for seed production.

Amount of seed planted:

The sclerotia of Polyporus umbellatus is large and small. Before planting, the large sclerotia can be separated from the detachment or the thin waist of the sclerotia, divided into small pieces of 100g and 150g, and each hole is planted in 1g and 2 pieces.

Planting method:

Digging a small hole about 10 centimeters deep and 30 centimeters long next to the bushes, you can see thicker roots and staggered capillary roots. At the bottom of the pit, lay a layer of semi-rotten wet leaves and branches, put in a fungus, Polyporus umbellate sclerotia sandwiched between the root and fungus, and then cover a layer of leaves, cover the soil to fill the hole, and cover the top of the hole with a thicker leaf.

Forest management:

Semi-wild cultivation of Polyporus umbellatus in forest area does not need special management. However, in summer, Polyporus umbellatus can be irrigated in case of drought in the growing season. The key to the management of semi-wild cultivated Polyporus umbellatus is to cover the top of the cultivation hole with a layer of leaves every spring, which can greatly reduce soil water evaporation, prevent drought and conserve water. At the same time, decaying leaves can supplement and increase organic matter in soil, improve soil fertility and yield of Polyporus umbellatus.