A Detailed Guide to the Cultivation Techniques of the Chinese Medicinal Herb Chuanxiong

Chuanxiong is a traditional Chinese medicinal plant that grows in a mild climate. It is commonly used to invigorate the blood and promote the flow of qi, dispel wind and relieve pain, and has a broad range of blood-activating and stasis-removing effects, making it suitable for various conditions of blood stasis obstruction; its wind-dispelling and pain-relieving effects are excellent, and it can treat head wind and headache, rheumatic arthralgia and other conditions. Let us now look at the cultivation techniques for Chuanxiong

The Growing Environment of Chuanxiong

Chuanxiong prefers a mild climate, abundant rainfall, sufficient sunlight and a relatively moist environment. However, during the ling seed cultivation stage and the storage period, Chuanxiong requires cool climatic conditions. The growing period is 280-290 days. In flat plain areas, it is advisable to choose a sandy loam with deep, loose and fertile soil, good drainage, rich organic matter content, and a neutral or slightly acidic reaction.

Propagation Methods of Chuanxiong

Chuanxiong is propagated using stem nodes (xiong ling zi) as seed. Each year after the aboveground parts wither, dig up the Chuanxiong and cut off the stem nodes above the roots; each node has 1-2 buds, and the seeding rate is about 2250 kg per hectare. The larger rhizomes below are processed into commercial product. Store the seedlings in a cellar and plant them before the Awakening of Insects (Jingzhe) the following year. For row planting, the furrow depth is 12-16 cm, with a plant and row spacing of about 20-25 cm * 35 cm. Place 1-2 seedling pieces per hole with the bud tips pointing upward, cover with 6 cm of fine soil, and apply 15000-22500 kg of base fertilizer per hectare.

Cultivation Techniques for Chuanxiong

Site Selection and Land Preparation

Choose cool-climate high mountain sunny slopes, or low mountain semi-shaded semi-sunny slopes of virgin land or clay loam. Before planting, clear all weeds, reclaim and burn the land, loosen the soil to 30 cm, and then make beds 1.5 m wide.

Site Selection and Land Preparation: For cultivating propagation material in mountainous areas, after selecting the site, clear all weeds, burn them on site as base fertilizer, plow the land to a depth of about 25 cm, harrow fine and level, and according to the terrain and drainage conditions, make beds 1.7-1.8 m wide. For cultivation in flat plain areas, the previous crop is mostly early rice (the best preceding crop for early rice is green manure such as hairy vetch or Chinese milk vetch). After harvest, remove the rice stubble, open furrows and make beds about 1.6 m wide, with furrows 33 cm wide and about 25 cm deep, and loosen the surface soil and shape it into a fish-back form. It is best to first spread compost or barnyard manure over the bed surface, and mix it evenly with the surface soil when digging.

Plant at the right time around the Beginning of Autumn (Liqiu), and no later than the end of August. If too early, the seedlings are prone to withering under the influence of high temperatures; if too late, the temperature has already dropped, which is unfavorable for rhizome growth. Planting should be carried out on a sunny day, and it is best to finish planting the same day. Before planting, remove all Chuanxiong with no buds or damaged buds, stem nodes bitten by insects, nodes bearing insects, or buds that have already sprouted. Then, grade the Chuanxiong by size and plant accordingly. When planting, open shallow horizontal furrows on the bed surface, with a row spacing of 30-40 cm and a depth of about 3 cm. Then, at a plant spacing of 17-20 cm, place the Chuanxiong obliquely into the furrow with the bud head facing upward and press gently, and do not plant too deep or too shallow; exposing half above the soil surface is sufficient. At the same time, also plant two Chuanxiong at each end between the rows, and plant 1 row of ling zi every 10 rows for use in replanting. After planting, cover the stem nodes of the Chuanxiong with fine soil mixed with manure or with a mixture of burnt soil ash and compost. Finally, cover the bed surface with a layer of rice straw to avoid direct sunlight and rain erosion. Use 30-40 kg of Chuanxiong per mu.

Field Management

Cultivation and Weeding: Generally carried out 4 times. The 1st time is in late August after the seedlings are fully emerged, with 1 shallow hoeing; after an interval of 20 days, carry out the 2nd cultivation and weeding, with shallow loosening of the soil and by no means injuring the roots; after another 20 days, carry out the 3rd weeding, when the underground rhizomes are at their peak development, so only pull out the weeds and do not cultivate; the 4th time is in mid-to-late January of the following year when the aboveground stems and leaves begin to turn yellow, first clear the withered stems and leaves in the field, do not cultivate or weed, and earth up around the root crown to help the rhizomes overwinter safely. This earthing up is called "hao dong yao" by farmers in the production areas.

Rational Fertilization: In the same year and the 2nd year after planting Chuanxiong, only when the aboveground stems and leaves grow vigorously, form a certain nutritional area, and produce a large amount of dry matter can the nutrients be transported to the underground rhizomes to promote their robust growth and development. Therefore, within two months after planting, it is necessary to concentrate topdressing 3 times, which can be done together with cultivation and weeding. The 1st time, apply 1000-1500 kg of human and livestock manure water and 25-50 kg of decomposed cake fertilizer per mu, diluted with 3 times the amount of water, mixed evenly and applied in holes; the 2nd time, apply 1500-2000 kg of human and livestock manure water and 30-50 kg of decomposed cake fertilizer per mu, diluted with 2 times the amount of water; the 3rd time, first apply 2000-2500 kg of human and livestock manure water per mu, diluted with 1 times the amount of water, then apply 500 kg of dry fertilizer mixed from cake fertilizer, burnt soil ash, compost, and soil manure in holes beside the plants, and cover with soil after application. It is advisable to do this before the Frost Descent (Shuangjiang); if too late, the organic fertilizer is not easily decomposed and the fertilizer effect is low. In January of the following year during "hao dong yao," combine with earthing up and apply 1 more round of dry manure; after greening up in February-March, apply 1 more round of thin human and livestock manure water to promote growth and development and increase yield.

Harvesting and Processing

The optimal harvest period is 4-5 days after Grain Full (Xiaoman) in the 2nd year after planting. Generally, harvest from Grain Full to Grain in Ear (Mangzhong). If harvested too early, the underground rhizomes are not yet fully developed, the yield is low, and the income of growers is affected; if harvested too late, the rhizomes are already overripe and prone to rotting underground, which also leads to reduced yield and directly affects the income of growers. When harvesting, choose a sunny day, dig up the whole plant, remove the stems and leaves, remove the soil, and after briefly drying the rhizomes in the field, transport them back for processing.

Timely Processing: After harvesting, dry promptly, generally by drying over a fire pit. The fire should not be too strong; during pit drying, turn the material over once a day from top to bottom. After 2-3 days, when a strong fragrance is released, place it in a bamboo basket and shake and strike it to remove all mud, sand and fibrous roots, and it becomes commercial product. The drying rate is about 30-35%.

Pest and Disease Control of Chuanxiong

Diseases

Leaf Blight

Mostly occurs from May to July. When the disease occurs, brown, irregular spots appear on the leaves, then spread to the whole leaf, causing the leaves of the whole plant to wither and die.

Control method: At the early stage of the disease, spray 65% zineb 500-fold solution, or 50% Tuzet 1000-fold solution, or 1:1:100 Bordeaux mixture. Once every 10 days, for 3-4 consecutive times.

Powdery Mildew

From late June to July, the disease is severe under high temperature and high humidity. It first occurs on the lower leaves, with grayish-white powdery mildew appearing on the leaves and stems, then gradually spreading upward; later, small black spots appear on the diseased parts, and in severe cases the stems and leaves turn yellow and die.

Control methods: 1. After harvest, clean up the field and burn the residual diseased plants and leaves in a concentrated manner; 2. At the early stage of the disease, spray 25% triadimefon 1500-fold solution, or 50% thiophanate 1000-fold solution, once every 10 days, for 2-3 consecutive sprays.

Rhizome Rot

Occurs during the growing period and at harvest. The affected rhizomes rot internally to a yellow-brown color, become water-soaked, have a special foul odor, and become soft-rotted. After being affected during the growing period, the aboveground leaves gradually turn yellow and fall off.

Control methods: 1. After occurrence, immediately pull out the diseased plants and burn them in a concentrated manner to prevent spread; 2. Pay attention to drainage, especially in the rainy season; when there is too much rain and poor drainage, the disease is severe; 3. At harvest and seed selection, remove diseased "fu xiong" and already rotted "ling zi."

Insect Pests

Chuanxiong Stem Node Moth

During the ling cultivation stage, spray 80% trichlorfon 100-150-fold aqueous solution, and pay attention to focusing on controlling the 1st-generation larvae before the second instar. In plain areas, before this, use a mixture of 5:5:100 tobacco stems, maple poplar leaves and water, soak for several days, and then soak the ling zi for 12-24 h.