A Detailed Guide to Tephrosia purpurea Planting Techniques and Management Methods
Tephrosia purpurea is generally found on hillsides or in grasslands. Its value can be traced back to ancient times, and its medicinal properties are excellent. It is precisely because of this understanding that many people now choose to cultivate this Tephrosia purpurea on a larger scale, hoping to create certain economic value from it. There are also some techniques involved in planting Tephrosia purpurea.
Tephrosia purpurea Planting Techniques
1. Seedlings: Tephrosia purpurea flowers from October to December, and the pods mature in large quantities around February of the following year. Harvest and sun-dry them in time, remove debris, and pack, store and transport them in gunny bags. On the same tree, the seeds do not mature uniformly. Pods with emerald green shells have low maturity and thin seed coats, and can sprout and emerge 5-7 days after sowing. Pods with dark green shells have high maturity and thicker seed coats, and require 10-15 days after sowing to sprout and emerge. It is best to harvest the pods and bag them separately, so that germination speed after sowing can be more consistent.
2. Afforestation techniques: For sloping land, contour strip site preparation along the mountain is better, with a strip spacing of 2 m and a width of 50-60 cm, and a preparation depth of 20 cm. The site preparation season should preferably be carried out in autumn and winter. Direct-seeding afforestation should be carried out before the first soaking rain of the rainy season. Along the outer edge of the horizontal strip, dig a small hole at a plant spacing of 50-60 cm, sow 10-15 seeds per hole, and then cover with soil to just cover the seeds. The sowing rate per mu is 0.25-0.5 kg.
Growth Conditions for Tephrosia purpurea Seeds
1. Temperature: Tephrosia purpurea prefers warmth. The seeds begin to germinate at 10-12°C, and 15-20°C is most suitable. At low temperatures, germination is slow, the seeds are prone to rot, and the seedlings grow weakly. During the seedling stage, it can tolerate low temperatures of -2 to -5°C. The suitable growth temperature is 20-25°C. At low temperatures, pod setting is delayed, and it cannot flower below 14°C. If the temperature is too high, the plant ends growth early. At ≤2.5°C the plant is damaged, and at -3°C the plant freezes to death.
2. Light: Soybean is a short-day plant. Southern varieties are generally determinate growth types and early-maturing varieties, with less strict light requirements, while northern varieties are generally indeterminate growth types and late-maturing varieties. Therefore, when southern varieties are moved north, they often flower early, and when northern varieties are moved south, they often grow luxuriant branches and leaves and delay flowering. Special attention should be paid when introducing varieties.
3. Water: Seed germination requires relatively more water. During the flowering period, the soil moisture content is required to reach 70%-80%, otherwise bud drop is severe.
4. Fertilizer: Before flowering, Tephrosia purpurea absorbs less than 15% of the total nutrient uptake, while during the flowering and pod-setting period it accounts for more than 80% of total uptake.
5. After afforestation, Tephrosia purpurea enters a rapid height-growth period from 1 to 3 years, after which growth slows and shifts to crown expansion. A 2-year-old tree is 2.1 m tall with a diameter at breast height of 1.1 cm; a 3-year-old tree is 2.7 m tall with a diameter at breast height of 2.0 cm. Its sprouting ability is relatively strong. After harvesting, it generally can sprout, with 3-IS shoots per stump in spring. According to experiments in Yuanmou, when planted at a spacing of 1.0 m x 2.0 m, a 2-year-old plantation yields 4.7 tons of dry weight per hectare, and a 3-year-old plantation yields 7.1 tons.
Fertilization Methods for Tephrosia purpurea
Nutrient elements can be supplemented for Tephrosia purpurea in time to promote normal growth. At the seedling stage, a 0.06% ammonium molybdate aqueous solution can be sprayed continuously twice, with an interval of 10-15 days between the two sprays. During the flowering and pod-setting period, a 0.2% borax aqueous solution can be sprayed once, which can effectively increase the number of pods and promote increased yield and income.
Pest and Disease Control for Tephrosia purpurea
1. Rust. Control methods: Pay attention to ditching and drainage, use high beds or ridge cultivation to prevent moisture retention, and use formula fertilization techniques to improve plant disease resistance. In the early stage of the disease, spray 75% chlorothalonil wettable powder 600 times dilution, or 36% thiophanate-methyl suspension concentrate 500 times dilution, 50 S——3170F1000 times dilution, or 10% yiduowei emulsifiable concentrate 3000 times dilution, spraying 40 L of the prepared solution per 667 sq m, once every about 10 days, for 2-3 consecutive treatments. When the above fungicides are ineffective, spray 15% triadimefon wettable powder 1000-1500 times dilution, or 50% carboxin emulsifiable concentrate 800 times dilution, 50% sulfur suspension concentrate 300 times dilution, 25% diniconazole emulsifiable concentrate 3000 times dilution, 6% lebigeng wettable powder 1000-1500 times dilution, or 40% fuxing emulsifiable concentrate 8000 times dilution.
2. Bean worm. Control methods: For the above pests, low-toxicity and low-residue pesticides with strong contact action and broad-spectrum killing effect, such as yitaibao, fenvalerate, and chlorpyrifos, can be selected for control. Highly toxic pesticides such as methamidophos and dichlorvos are strictly prohibited. Apply once every 7 days for 2-3 consecutive treatments.
The key to planting Tephrosia purpurea is seedling selection. High-quality seeds should be selected for sowing, as this will increase its survival rate. After sowing, management must also be strengthened. Pest and disease control, irrigation, and fertilization all need to be strengthened so as to ensure its growth and yield. As long as these tasks are done well, it is believed that a good yield will be brought about, thereby obtaining certain economic returns.