Key Technical Points for Angelica Dahurica Planting and Field Management

Angelica dahurica is one of the famous “eight great qi medicines,” also known by the alias qi baizhi. Angelica dahurica is suitable for growing in flat terrain with deep, loose, fertile, well-drained sandy loam and loam soils.

1. Sowing: Spring sowing of Angelica dahurica takes place around Qingming, and autumn sowing takes place between Chushu and Bailu. Open shallow furrows at a row spacing of 30 cm—35 cm, with a depth of 1.5 cm—2 cm, scatter the seeds evenly in the furrows, cover with soil and level it, then press down. Use 1—1.5 kg of seed per mu.

2. Field management

(1) Thinning and final thinning: When the seedlings are about 5 cm tall, begin thinning at a plant spacing of 6—9 cm; when the seedlings are 15 cm tall, finalize the spacing at 12—15 cm.

(2) Cultivation and weeding: Carry out cultivation and weeding together with thinning. The first cultivation should lightly loosen the surface soil, and subsequent cultivations should be progressively deeper, keeping the field soil loose and free of weeds. Once the plants have grown large and closed the rows, cultivation and weeding should no longer be carried out.

(3) Topdressing: Angelica dahurica likes fertilizer. Before the rows close, 25 kg of superphosphate and 5 kg of potassium chloride can be applied per mu, followed by earthing up, which helps prevent lodging and promotes growth.

(4) Watering: Irrigation and drainage. Angelica dahurica likes water but fears waterlogged soil. For autumn-sown Angelica dahurica, water after it turns green again the following year, and especially keep moisture sufficient during the dog days. If water accumulates in the field during the rainy season, open ditches promptly to drain it and prevent root rot and disease outbreaks.

(5) Remove bolting plants: In May of the second year after sowing, if any plants bolt and flower, they should be pulled out promptly.

3. Pest and disease control

The main diseases of Angelica dahurica include leaf spot, violet root rot, and root-knot nematode disease. Leaf spot generally occurs in May; spraying 1—2 times with 1:1:100 Bordeaux mixture or 65% zineb wettable powder at 400—500 times dilution can control the development of the disease. For violet root rot control, apply 70% quintozene powder at 2 kg per mu plus 20 kg of plant ash into the soil, then plow and sow. Crop rotation is one of the main measures for controlling root-knot nematode disease. A mixture of 1.8% abamectin emulsifiable concentrate and 48% chlorpyrifos emulsifiable concentrate at a 1:1 ratio can be used, applying 120 ml per mu, diluted with water for drenching and spraying. The main insect pests of Angelica dahurica include aphids, red spider mites, and yellow swallowtail butterflies. When aphids occur, spray with 40% dimethoate at 1500—2000 times dilution or 50% fenitrothion at 1000 times dilution, once every 5—7 days, for 2—3 consecutive applications. To control red spider mites, begin spraying 0.2—0.3 degrees Beaume lime sulfur mixture in April, once a week for several consecutive applications. For yellow swallowtail butterflies, spray with 90% trichlorfon at 800 times dilution or Bacillus thuringiensis at 500 times dilution, once every 5—7 days, for 3 consecutive applications.