A Detailed Guide to Licorice Cultivation Techniques and Income per Mu

AbstractSelect soil: It is best planted in dry and semi-arid sandy soil. Cultivation method: Use drilling or hole sowing, with a row spacing of 35cm and a plant spacing of 20cm. Field management: In the 2nd-3rd year after planting, phosphate fertilizer can be applied in spring, and at the same time each year 3-4 times of intertillage and weeding should be carried out. Pest and disease control: Use Bordeaux mixture, fenitrothion, dimethoate emulsifiable concentrate and other agents for control. Planting income: The annual income per mu of land is about 1000 yuan.

1. Selecting Soil

1. Licorice likes to grow in dry and semi-arid sandy soil, or in desert areas. It has relatively strong adaptability and is tolerant of drought, heat, cold, and salinity-alkalinity. The depth of the planting site should be below 1.5 m, and at the same time the soil should be loose, well-drained, with deep soil layers, a complete soil structure, and a slightly alkaline pH.

2. Plowing is deep plowing. Usually in autumn the land needs to be turned over, and at the same time the clods should be broken up and the land leveled, then you can wait to plant.

2. Cultivation Methods

1. First, seed selection is needed, then place the licorice seeds in an environment with a temperature of about 20°C for sweating, take them out after about 7 hours, then rinse them clean with water, dry off the moisture, and sow. This helps increase the seed germination rate, which can generally reach more than 90%.

2. The planting time for licorice is also relatively broad. Usually it can be planted in spring, summer, and autumn, but the better planting time is May. Drilling or hole sowing can be used for sowing, with a row spacing of about 35cm and a plant spacing of about 20cm.

3. Field Management

1. Licorice is a perennial herbaceous plant. Generally in the 2nd-3rd year after planting, phosphate fertilizer can be applied in spring by trenching and ring application, and in the same year after planting, at least 3-4 irrigations are needed. In the later growth stage, the frequency of watering can be gradually reduced.

2. When the seedlings grow to about 13cm, thinning should be carried out reasonably, which helps ensure the seedling spacing in the field. At the same time, at least 3-4 times of intertillage and weeding should be carried out each year, and later the number of intertillage can be reduced as appropriate.

4. Pest and Disease Control

1. Common diseases include rust, brown spot, and powdery mildew. These diseases are basically caused by fungal infection, and generally lime-sulfur mixture in degrees Baume, Bordeaux mixture, and lime-sulfur mixture in degrees Baume plus rice water can be used for control.

2. Common insect pests of licorice include aphids and red spiders. Aphids and red spiders are relatively common pests in the cultivation of many medicinal materials, and generally fenitrothion or dimethoate emulsifiable concentrate can be used for spraying and killing.

5. Planting Income

China's annual demand for licorice can reach 70,000 tons, and export volume also continues to grow. The market purchase price of licorice is 7-8 yuan/kg, and the retail price is 10 yuan/kg. Generally, the cost of planting one mu of land is 600 yuan. If calculated on the basis of one mu of land producing 1000 kg over 3 years, then the annual income per mu of land can reach about 1000 yuan.