Cultivation techniques of Radix scrophulariae

Radix scrophulariae, alias Yuanshen, Black Ginseng, Zhejiang Radix scrophulariae. Perennial herbs, used as root medicine, have the effects of nourishing yin and reducing fire, moistening dryness and promoting fluid, detumescence and detoxification, etc. The nature is slightly cold, sweet, bitter and salty. It is used for the treatment of Yin deficiency, excessive fire, restless sleep, hot flashes, night sweats, sore throat, red eyes, lymphoid tuberculosis, carbuncle, constipation, etc. Mainly produced in Zhejiang, Chongqing and other parts of the Yangtze River basin.

Morphological characteristics

Perennial herbs. The root is long cylindrical or fusiform. Stem quadrangular, furrowed. Lower leaves opposite, upper leaves alternate, ovate to lanceolate, long 10~15cm, margin serrulate, tooth margin retrorse, bony, and pointed. Cymes large and scattered, with glandular hairs on rachis; calyx 5-lobed, lobes margin diaphragm; Corolla brownish purple, upper lip longer than lower lip; staminodes suborbicular. Capsule ovate. The flowering period is from July to August and the fruiting period is from August to September.

I. growth habits

Radix scrophulariae has wide adaptability, likes warm and humid climate, and has a certain ability of cold and drought tolerance. The loam with deep, fertile, loose and well drained soil is better. It is not suitable for continuous cropping.

II. Land selection and land preparation

Radix scrophulariae is not suitable for continuous cropping, but the previous crop can be planted in sandy loam with good drainage, deep soil layer and more humus. The terrain should be sunny, leeward and low sloping land. The soil is sticky and easy to accumulate water, which is not suitable for planting. When ploughing the ground deeply, it is necessary to remove the fallen leaves and pick up the stones to make the soil loose. Apply stable manure or compost 1500-2500 kg per mu as base fertilizer. Fine rake leveling after the border, the border width of about 1.3 meters, 20-25 cm high, ditch width of 40 cm. Hengshan should be used as a border on the slopes to prevent soil erosion and at the same time pay attention to opening the surrounding drainage ditches.

3. Planting

Radix scrophulariae usually propagates asexually with adventitious buds. Sexual or ramet reproduction can also be carried out.

1. Seed bud propagation

Seed selection and storage: when harvested in late autumn and early winter, white adventitious buds with no disease, stout, few lateral buds and 3-4 cm long white adventitious buds were broken off from the head of Reed and used as breeding material. The bud head is reddish purple, cyan, or flowering buds (bud scale cracking), fine buds and diseased buds, should not be reserved for seed use. The seed buds after harvest are spread indoors for 1-2 days to avoid heat and rot after entering the pit. Choose a place with high dryness and good drainage to dig a pit for storage, with a depth of 30-40 cm, length and width should not be too large, put the seed buds into the pit, about 33 cm thick, pile into the shape of steamed bread, cover the soil 7-10 cm, and then gradually add soil or cover rice straw to prevent the seed buds from freezing. Generally, about 100 kilograms of seed buds are put in each pit. Drainage ditches should be opened around the pit. In the seed bud storage period should be timely inspection, found that mildew, sprouting, root timely turning over the pit. Before the beginning of spring, with the warming of the weather, the cover soil should be removed gradually to prevent the seed buds from growing. It can also be stored in an indoor kiln. During the storage period, keep the temperature below 5 ℃, and be careful not to cause seed buds to elongate or dry up. Planting time and method: it is better to sow early from December to March of the following year. Zhejiang is generally planted from late December to mid-January. On the prepared border surface, open holes according to the row spacing of 35 × 35 cm, put 1-2 seed buds in each hole, the bud head is upward, cover a handful of charred mud ash, and the thickness of the covered soil is about 5 cm. 40-80 kg of seed per mu. Water the soil after planting to keep the soil moist.

Nantong, Jiangsu Province, is in the harvest of Radix scrophulariae directly take the seed buds, and then sow.

2. Seed propagation

It can be used in new introduction areas. In the north, seedlings are raised in sunny beds in early spring and March. First, the seedlings are watered thoroughly. After the water has seeped, the seeds are evenly sown or striped sown, some fine soil is screened, the seeds are tightly covered, and the border is covered with a layer of straw to keep warm and moist. Remove the covered grass when the seedlings emerge. Alternate seedlings for 2-3 times, if the seedlings are thin, a small amount of fertilizer can be applied. In the first and middle of May, when the seedling height is 5-7 cm, it can be planted, and the plant row spacing and field management are the same as asexual reproduction. In the south, seed propagation is mostly sowed in autumn, the plant grows faster, and the yield and quality are better than those sown in spring.

IV. Field management

1. Topdressing: general topdressing 3 times during the growing period. After the seedlings, the first fertilizer was applied, and 500-1000 kg of feces and urine per mu were applied to promote the growth of the seedlings. When the seedling height is about 35 cm, when the growth of Radix scrophulariae is about to turn to the exuberant period, the second topdressing will be carried out, with 1000-1500 kg of human feces and 1500 kg of barnyard manure per seedling to promote the growth of plants on the ground. At this time, the temperature is high, so a layer of leaves or tender grass should be spread between the rows to reduce the ground temperature and maintain soil moisture. In the early stage of flowering in the first and middle of July, the third topdressing was carried out, mainly applying phosphorus and potassium fertilizer, applying 50 kg superphosphate and 300 kg plant ash per mu, and covering soil after application to promote root expansion.

2. Intermediate ploughing and weeding: after the seedlings were unearthed, the first time was in mid-April, the second time was in mid-May, and the third time was in mid-June. Weeding in the middle tillage should not be too deep, and the topsoil should be loosened by hoing without damaging the root tuber.

Soil cultivation: soil cultivation is usually carried out after the third fertilization, and the soil at the bottom of the furrow is cultivated next to the plant. In order to protect the growth of the rhizome and increase the number of white buds.

3. Irrigation and drainage: Radix scrophulariae is more resistant to drought and generally does not need irrigation. In case of long-term drought, it can be watered before the sun comes out. Trench drainage in rainy season to prevent root rot caused by stagnant water.

4. Bud picking: the upper part of the topping plant forms the flower bud to the early flowering stage, and the pedicel is removed in time to reduce the consumption of nutrients, so as to promote the expansion of underground roots and improve the yield and quality.

5. Disease and pest control:

1. Scrophularia spot blight: it is caused by a kind of half-known fungus in fungi. It is easy to suffer from high temperature and humidity. It occurs more seriously from June to August and can last until October. When the disease was serious, the whole plant turned brown and died. Control methods: after harvesting, remove the diseased leaves of residual plants in the field in time and burn them centrally; choose Gramineae crop rotation to avoid rotation with crops such as Atractylodes macrocephala, sweet potato, peanut, Rehmannia glutinosa, white peony, etc.; apply organic fertilizer after rotten ripening, frequently plough and weed, promote plant growth and enhance disease resistance; pay attention to ditch drainage, reduce field humidity, increase ventilation and light; remove diseased leaves in time in the early stage of the disease. 1 ∶ 1 ∶ Bordeaux solution was sprayed every 7-10 days for protection, 3-4 times continuously. 500-800 times Dysenamine solution can be sprayed from the middle of May, once every 10-14 days, 4-5 times continuously.

2. Leaf spot of Radix scrophulariae: the disease harmed the leaves, which began to occur in the middle of April, became more serious before June, and gradually alleviated after July. The prevention and control methods can refer to spot blight.

3. White silk disease of Radix scrophulariae: it mainly harms the root and rhizome, and occurs more frequently in the south. It began to occur in the middle of April, and the peak period of the disease was in the high temperature and humidity season from late June to early August, which could last until September. Poor soil drainage and the application of unmature organic fertilizers can aggravate the disease. The roots of the killed Radix scrophulariae rotted, and the diseased plants wilted and withered rapidly. Control methods: rotation with Gramineae crops, avoid continuous cropping, and do not rotate with susceptible crops such as Rehmannia glutinosa, aconite, white peony, Radix Pseudostellariae and peanut; when preparing the soil, use 1.5kg of 30% phenanthraquinone per mu or 50kg of lime to turn into the soil for soil disinfection; soak the seeds with 1000 times solution of 50% methyl topiramate (or 50% bacillus) for 5 minutes and then dry the seeds. Strengthen field management, pay attention to trench drainage and transparent light, high border planting should be adopted in rainy areas; diseased plants should be pulled out in time, removed and burned, soil of diseased holes should be removed, and lime powder should be sprinkled around the diseased holes.