Cultivation techniques of betel nut

Betel nut, alias Hiroko, Dabai, Lang Yu, Betelnut, GE language. Betel nut is a plant of the genus areca of Palmaceae, which is used in medicine with seeds and its pericarp (belly skin) as well. Betel nut has the effect of deworming, breaking stagnation of qi in chest, eliminating phlegm and eliminating edema and accumulation. Can treat insect accumulation (get rid of tapeworm, Ascaris lumbricoides, ginger worm), food stagnation, abdominal distension and diarrhea, edema, phlegm and other diseases. The big belly skin (betel nut exocarp) has the functions of qi, water conservancy urine and so on. It is cultivated in Fujian, southern Taiwan, Guangxi, Guangdong, Hainan Island and southern Yunnan.

Plant characteristics

Evergreen trees, without taproot, trunk single straight, 10-20 m high. Leaves 6-10 clustered at the top of the stem, pinnately compound leaves up to 4 meters long, leaf sheath clasping stem. Inflorescences of fleshy spikes on stems under leaf bundles, many branches, flowers unisexual, monoecious, male flowers small and many, Adnate to the upper part of inflorescence branches, female flowers less, inserted at the base of inflorescence axis branches. Nuts are ovoid, red when ripe, the pericarp is fibrous, and the seeds are half ovoid. The flowering period is from April to August, the winter flowers do not bear fruit, and the fruiting period is from November to April of the following year.

I. growth habits

Growing in tropical areas below 700 meters above sea level. It is not resistant to cold, and the temperature grows better at about 25 ℃. Although the short-term light frost does not freeze to death, the leaves will turn yellow. Prolonged drought and strong winds are bad for growth. The soil should be thick and moist, either latosol or red soil. It is often planted near sunny villages, in front and behind houses, as well as woodlands, riverbanks, valleys and hillsides. It needs to be protected from heat at the initial stage of growth, so betel nut orchards can first grow bananas for shade. Betel nut can be intercropped with pepper and used as the living pillar of pepper.

Second, sowing seeds

Transplanting seedlings with seeds can also be direct seeded, but the survival rate is low and most of them are not used. The nursery land should choose fertile sandy loam with sufficient water source, convenient irrigation and shade of forest. After ploughing, spread soil compost and barnyard manure, rake flat and fine so that the fertilizer soil is mixed evenly, open holes according to the row spacing of seedling plants, and then apply base fertilizer to concentrate fertilizer.

Seed selection: 15-25 years with short trunk nodes, little difference in stem base and stem thickness, and those with tall and strong leaves, dark green leaves and concentrated fruits were selected as the remaining mother trees. When the fruit is fully ripe, choose the large, golden and spotless seeds. In order to prevent the fruit from falling to the ground and causing decay to affect sprouting, it is best to open a net under the tree when picking the fruit, and the recovered fruit should be treated immediately.

Stir-fry to promote sprouting: shade ground is dug at a depth of 30 cm, length and width depends on the topography and the number of seeds, pin a layer of sand after the bottom of the pit is drenched with water, then spread a layer of fruit (pedicel up for germination), add a layer of broken (about 9 cm thick), stack 1-2 layers of straw, often pay attention to watering to maintain humidity, rice grain size of white buds can be taken out and raised at this time, otherwise the buds grow too large and are easy to be damaged during sowing. It is also easy to die in the sun after broadcasting.

Seedling and nursery bed management: according to the plant row spacing of 30 cm to open holes, each hole horizontally put 1-2 fruits, covered with soil to the degree of no fruit. Within 10 days after sowing, water should be drenched once a day, fertilization should be applied once when the unearthed leaflets of the seedlings are unearthed, and then the soil should be covered with soil along the root. According to the shade situation, set up a shade shed properly to avoid sun exposure, weed and fertilize 2-3 times a year, and pay attention to irrigation and soil cultivation. When the seedling age is 1-2 years old, it is 30-60 cm high and the stem base is slightly fat, it can be planted with soil.

Planting: the rainy season is the best, easy to survive. On the selected ground two months before planting, the hole was opened first according to the row spacing of 240 cm × 300 cm (4.5 m × 6 m intercropping with pepper), 60 cm wide and 45 cm deep to make the soil weathered. When planting, fill the topsoil into the pit on a cloudy day, and apply enough base fertilizer to plant the strong seedlings dug up on that day, which is about 15 cm above the ground, and the soil can be compacted. After planting, cut off half of the unfolded leaves, place twigs around for shade according to the intensity of the sun, and properly water them every day to survive and grow new leaves, so as to reduce the number of watering.

III. Woodland management

After the plant survives, it should be ploughed, weeded and fertilized 2-3 times a year, pay attention to drainage and irrigation, keep the soil around the plant loose, free of weeds, adequate nutrients and appropriate humidity, so as to facilitate normal growth and early fruit. Fertilization should be from April to September, dig a ring hole at 15-20 cm of the root, and then cover the soil. For adult trees, human feces and urine or nitrogen fertilizer were applied once before the bud appeared, and phosphorus and potassium fertilizer was applied once in the peak fruiting period, such as calcium superphosphate, plant ash or compost.

Betel nut has the characteristics of high dry and few leaves, young trees like shade, mature trees like sun, large ground gap and so on. It can plant some short and shade-tolerant crops, such as beans, pepper, vegetables or other fruits and medicines. As long as we strengthen management, apply more fertilizer, make full use of land, and combine long and short crops, we can not only increase income, but also cover the ground, prevent soil erosion caused by Rain Water, maintain soil moisture, and is conducive to betel nut growth.

IV. Harvesting and processing

The results began 7-8 years after transplantation. The fruit can be harvested when the fruit is yellow ripe from April to May every year. Then cut the pericarp with a knife, peel off and dry the seed and pericarp respectively. The seed is betel nut (nut jade), and the pericarp, that is, the belly skin, is sold as medicine.