Harvesting and Seed Treatment Methods in Schisandra Cultivation

Schisandra seeds have a dormant character; the seed coat is hard and smooth, and beneath the coat there is an oil layer that does not readily allow water or air through. In naturally matured seeds the embryo is tiny and has an after-ripening character. Seeds with the pulp removed have a relatively short life; generally after 2 months of dry storage at room temperature, seed vigor decreases. Usually the rate of empty seeds in wild seeds is extremely high. Mature seeds commonly come in two colors: one is darker, appearing dark red, with a higher degree of maturity but slower germination; the other is orange-red and germinates more easily.

For Schisandra chinensis, the fruit generally enters the coloring stage in late July. The sugar and pigment in the fruit increase as the fruit matures, then show a declining trend later on. The fruit skin is thin and does not tolerate compression, and the berries fall off easily, so late August to mid-September is the best harvest period for the fruit; at this time the various components in the fruit tend to be stable.

After harvest, the seeds should promptly be separated from the pulp with a seed squeezer; the expressed juice is a good raw material for Schisandra beverages and Schisandra wine. After mechanical separation, wash the seeds clean with water, float off the empty seeds, and dry them in a cool place. It is best to drain the water for 1-2 days, then mix them with disinfected river sand at a ratio of 1:3. Dried seeds are generally soaked in mid-to-late December, then mixed with sand, with the temperature controlled between 0°-5°C.

In the north, seeds can be overwintered in various ways, such as pit storage, box storage, and frozen storage. The low-temperature stratification treatment time for seeds is about 80-90 days.

In the early stage of Schisandra seed breeding, pay attention to the safe storage of seeds, prevent high temperature and excessive moisture, and ensure ventilation in the storage room. In the middle stage, carry out low-temperature or stratification treatment of the seeds in a timely manner. Schisandra chinensis seeds are of the deep dormancy type and easily lose their germination ability. The main reason for their dormancy is that the embryo is not fully differentiated and its morphological development is not mature; this needs to be completed during storage at 8°C-15°C. Embryo differentiation generally takes about 30 days. In the later stage, the low-temperature storage time generally needs about 60 days, and the whole process takes 80-90 days. After storage, before germination prompting, the seeds should promptly undergo alternating temperature treatment between -10°C-15°C, with continuous alternating temperature treatment 3-4 times. The alternating temperature period between 10°C-12°C should be longer, generally about 15 days. In this way, when the seeds are germinated at 20°C-25°C, the germination rate is relatively high. Generally after about 10 days of germination prompting, most seeds crack open and reveal the radicle, and can then be sown.