Saposhnikovia Propagation Methods and Key Cultivation Techniques

Saposhnikovia (Saposhnikovia divaricata) is a perennial herb of the Umbelliferae family, and its root is used as medicine. It is sweet and pungent in taste, and warm in nature. It has functions such as releasing the exterior, dispelling wind and reducing dampness. It treats wind-cold common cold, headache, fever, absence of sweating, joint pain, wind-damp arthralgia, limb spasms, skin itching and other symptoms. It is mainly produced in Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning, Hebei, Inner Mongolia and Shandong, with the Heilongjiang product considered the best.

Saposhnikovia prefers sunny, cool climate conditions, and avoids high temperatures, waterlogging and excessively wet soil; it is relatively cold-tolerant and drought-tolerant. When planted in wind-deposited sandy soil, meadow sandy soil and grassland chernozem, the main root is well developed, with few lateral roots, a brownish-yellow bark, and good commercial quality.

1. Propagation and seedling preservation

Both seed propagation and root division propagation can be used, but seed propagation is often used in production. Sowing can be done in spring, summer or autumn, but in arid areas sowing generally results in lower emergence and seedling survival rates. Mastering the appropriate sowing time and method is the key to preserving seedlings. Spring sowing has a long growth period and higher yield, but requires irrigation or sowing by utilizing soil moisture, and timely covering with agricultural film. Sowing after summer rain is conducive to emergence and seedling preservation, and agricultural film can also be used. After covering with film, press a small pile of soil at intervals to prevent the film from being blown off by the wind. After emergence, open the film in time to ventilate and cool down; if the film is opened too late, the seedlings will be scalded.

The planting site should be chosen as a plot with high, dry, sunny terrain, good drainage and deep soil. Planting in clay soil produces short, forked roots of poor quality. Planting fields can use newly reclaimed wasteland or secondary wasteland, while seed fields use cultivated land. Apply sufficient base fertilizer before land preparation, using 3000-5000 kg of farmyard manure per 667 sq m, and pay attention to deep ploughing and fine harrowing; where irrigation conditions exist, beds can be made about 1.3 m wide.

Before sowing, soak the seeds in clean water for 1 day, then remove them, cover with a wet cloth or gunny bag, and keep moist; sow when the seeds begin to sprout. Open furrows at a row spacing of 30 cm for drilling, with a furrow depth of 2 cm. Use 1-2 kg of seed per 667 sq m, sow the seeds evenly into the furrows, cover with soil and level it, press lightly, water, and cover with grass or agricultural film to keep the soil moist.

Root division propagation can also be used. When harvesting the medicinal material in autumn or early spring, take root strips with a diameter of more than 0.7 cm, cut them into root segments 3-5 cm long, open holes at a row spacing of 50 cm and a plant spacing of 15 cm, with a hole depth of 6-8 cm, plant 1 root segment vertically or obliquely in each hole, cover with 3-5 cm of soil, and note that the upper end of the root faces upward. The seed roots can also be heeled in for seedling raising in a greenhouse in winter at a row spacing of 10 cm and a plant spacing of 5 cm, and transplanted in early spring of the following year when they have 1-2 leaves; seed roots that have not sprouted cannot be planted. Vegetative propagation has a relatively high seedling survival rate.

2. Cultivation management and care

1. Thinning: thin seedlings twice. When the seedlings are 5 cm high, thin to a plant spacing of 7 cm; when the seedlings are 10 cm high, thin to a plant spacing of 15 cm.

2. Weeding and earthing up: remove weeds in time. When the plants close in the rows, in order to maintain ventilation and light penetration and prevent lodging, remove old leaves and earth up around the roots. Before winter, in combination with field cleaning, earth up to protect the roots for overwintering.

3. Topdressing: apply topdressing once in early June and once in late August, using diammonium phosphate and compost, applied in furrows between the rows.

4. Removing bolting stems: in 2-year-old non-seed fields, remove flower stems promptly when found, otherwise they easily consume nutrients and affect root development, causing the roots to become lignified and lose medicinal value.

5. Drainage and irrigation: after sowing or planting and before emergence, keep the soil moist to promote uniform emergence. When the seedlings are 10-15 cm high, drought resistance increases, and generally no irrigation is needed during the growth period; in the rainy season, pay attention to timely drainage to prevent water accumulation and root rot.

6. Pest and disease control: conscientiously carry out control of powdery mildew and leaf spot on the leaves in summer and autumn. Pay attention to timely ventilation and increased application of phosphorus and potassium fertilizers. Before disease onset, spray 0.3 degree Baume lime-sulfur mixture, 50% thiophanate-methyl wettable powder 600-800 times solution, and 70% mancozeb or 77% copper hydroxide 500 times solution, etc., alternating them, once every 10 days, spraying 2-3 times in succession.

3. Harvest and processing

Dig and harvest from late October to mid-November or before the buds sprout in spring. Saposhnikovia propagated by root cuttings can be harvested in one year under better water and fertilizer conditions. Seed-propagated plants are generally harvested in two years. After digging out the roots, remove the remaining stems, leaves and soil, sun-dry until half dry, remove the fibrous hairs, then sun-dry until 80-90% dry, grade according to root thickness and length, tie into small bundles weighing about 1 kg, and continue sun-drying or oven-drying. Generally, 250-350 kg of dried goods can be harvested per 667 sq m, with a drying ratio of about 25%.

Commercial goods are divided into two grades: Grade 1 roots are cylindrical, more than 15 cm long, with a diameter below the rhizome neck of more than 0.6 cm. Grade 2 roots occasionally have branches, with a diameter below the rhizome neck of more than 0.4 cm, and the rest is the same as Grade 1. Roots that are thick and strong, with a fine and tight outer skin, a light brown bark in cross-section and light yellow xylem are considered good quality.