Five key technical points for cultivating Atractylodes macrocephala

Atractylodes macrocephala, also known as Yuzhu, Dongzhu, Zhezhu, etc., is a plant of the Asteraceae family. Its rhizome can be used as medicine and has effects such as strengthening the spleen, drying dampness, and preventing miscarriage. It is a valuable Chinese medicinal herb. Growing Atractylodes macrocephala in rural areas is a path to prosperity with low investment, a short production cycle, smooth sales, and high economic returns.

1. Site selection and land preparation. Atractylodes macrocephala prefers a cool climate and fears high-temperature and high-humidity environments. It is not strict about soil requirements, but well-drained, deep slightly acidic, alkaline, and light clay soils are best. In plain areas, choose plots with loose soil texture and medium fertility. If the soil is too fertile, the seedlings grow too vigorously and are prone to bolting and flowering in the same year, affecting medicinal quality. In mountainous areas, land with thicker soil layers and a certain slope can be selected for planting. The previous crop is best a gramineous crop; it is not advisable to choose fields previously planted with tobacco, peanuts, rapeseed, or similar crops, otherwise diseases are likely to occur. For nursery land, generally apply 4000 kg to 5000 kg of farmyard manure per mu, or 75 kg to 100 kg of cake fertilizer; for transplanting land, apply 2500 kg to 4000 kg of farmyard manure per mu.

2. Raising seedlings and transplanting. Choose large-leaf, short-stem varieties. In North China, sowing and seedling raising are generally carried out in mid-to-late April. Before sowing in the nursery, make flat beds, open furrows at a row spacing of 16 to 17 cm and a depth of 3 to 4 cm for drilling, with a sowing rate of 4 to 5 kg per mu. After sowing, keep the soil moist frequently. After the seedlings emerge, weed promptly and thin out crowded seedlings as well as diseased and weak seedlings. When the seedlings are 3 to 5 cm tall, thin to a spacing of 7 to 10 cm between rows and plants. Topdress 1 to 2 times during the seedling stage, generally applying 500 kg of human excrement and urine per mu; too much will cause the seedlings to grow too vigorously, with overly tender branches and leaves and reduced disease resistance. From mid-to-late October to early November, before freezing, begin digging up the seedlings for storage. Choose a shady spot and dig a pit 1 m deep and 1 m wide, place the seedlings about 0.5 m deep in the pit, and cover with 4 to 6 cm of dry soil. When the temperature drops on cloudy days, gradually increase the thickness of the covering soil, with the thickness of added soil kept just enough not to freeze the seedlings. If the winter weather is relatively warm, covering with soil may be unnecessary. In early April of the following year, begin transplanting the seedlings, generally with a row spacing of 50 to 60 cm and a plant spacing of 7 to 10 cm, planted in single or double rows. A transplanting density of 12000 to 15000 plants per mu is appropriate. Generally, about 60 kg of seedlings are used per mu.

3. Field management. After sowing or transplanting Atractylodes macrocephala, weed and loosen the soil frequently, keeping the soil surface loose and free of weeds. In the rainy season, pay attention to preventing waterlogging. Fertilization should follow the principle of "apply enough basal fertilizer, apply seedling fertilizer early, and apply heavy fertilizer at the bud stage." Apply the first topdressing after the seedlings have basically emerged completely or after transplanted seedlings have recovered; the amount applied should not be too much. For transplanted seedlings, the second fertilization is generally 5 to 7 days after flowering (before flowering for those kept for seed), applying 75 to 100 kg of cake fertilizer per mu, or 1000 to 1500 kg of human and livestock excrement and urine plus 25 to 30 kg of superphosphate, or 25 kg of diammonium phosphate. Before the inflorescence opens, remove buds promptly to promote nutrient supply to the rhizome.

4. Pest and disease control. Atractylodes macrocephala has many diseases, mainly rust, iron leaf disease, root rot, and damping-off. For iron leaf disease, spray 0.3 degree Baume lime sulfur mixture at the early stage of the disease, once every 8 to 10 days, for 2 to 3 consecutive sprays; for root rot, damping-off, and similar diseases, at the early stage of the disease, drench diseased plants with 50% carbendazim 600-fold solution or 50% thiophanate-methyl 1000-fold solution. To control the Atractylodes macrocephala borer pest, before adults lay eggs at the early flowering stage, spray 50% dichlorvos 800-fold solution or 40% dimethoate 1500 to 2000-fold solution, once every 7 to 10 days, for 2 to 3 consecutive sprays.

5. Harvesting and processing. Atractylodes macrocephala is generally harvested from late October to early November in the same year of planting, when the stems turn from green to withered yellow. The method is: choose a sunny day for digging, then sun-dry or oven-dry. Sun-dry for 15 to 20 days until dry. When oven-drying, the heat should not be too strong, and the temperature should be such that it is not too hot to touch. After baking over fire for 4 to 6 hours, turn it over once from top to bottom so that it is heated evenly, and at the same time the fine roots fall off naturally. When it is 80% dry, take it out and pile it for 5 to 6 days so that internal moisture seeps outward and the surface becomes soft, then dry it again. When drying, do not use oily fuels such as pine or cypress, so as not to smoke the Atractylodes macrocephala black and affect quality. It is generally considered that Atractylodes macrocephala with large size, no hollow center, and a white cross-section is the best.