A Detailed Guide to the Cultivation Methods of King Grass (Sugarcane Grass)
King grass is also called sugarcane grass, king grass, giant elephant grass, and so on. King grass is a new type of high-efficiency cash crop with many practical functions. So, what cultivation methods does king grass have? Let's find out together!
1. Site selection and land preparation
The living habits of king grass are that it likes high temperatures, tolerates low temperatures, likes fertilizer and water, has strong drought resistance but does not tolerate waterlogging. Therefore, the planting site is generally chosen in a sunny area with fertile soil, close to a water source, or in a section with loose soil and good drainage and irrigation conditions. For land preparation, the soil should be deeply plowed, and weeds and stones in the field should be removed. Then the soil clods should be broken up fine, and sufficient farmyard manure should be spread as base fertilizer, with cow dung being the best. Finally, trenches should be opened and beds made, waiting for sowing.
2. Sowing and raising seedlings
King grass cultivation generally uses asexual propagation, because its seed germination rate is very low, so stem nodes are generally used for planting. Before planting, it needs to go through a period of seedling raising before transplanting. The seedling raising time is generally between February and May each year, and the best time is around March. For the stem nodes, we should choose mature, healthy ones free of pests and diseases, and each node needs to have at least one bud point. Then the seed nodes should be disinfected, which can improve the survival rate. Finally, the seed nodes should be placed diagonally into the soil, and watering and fertilizing should be carried out in time. Generally, seedlings emerge in about seven to ten days.
3. Scientific planting
Generally, about one month after seedling raising, the seedlings can be transplanted and planted. At this time, the king grass seedlings have generally grown to about twenty to twenty-five cm. The transplanting time is generally between March and June. The planting density needs to be analyzed specifically according to the purpose of planting king grass. There are generally the following densities: two thousand to three thousand plants per mu, with a row spacing of sixty cm and a plant spacing of thirty to fifty cm; and eight hundred to one thousand plants per mu, with a row spacing of ninety to one hundred cm and a plant spacing of seventy to eighty cm.
4. Field management
When planting, sufficient root water should be applied to maintain soil moisture. On cloudy and rainy days, watering is generally not needed, while on sunny days, watering is needed every two to three days. It is necessary to check the survival situation of transplanting in the field and replant seedlings in time to ensure the uniformity of the field. Because king grass grows relatively slowly, it is necessary to carry out intertillage and weeding from time to time to promote plant growth. When watering, it must be moderate. Water demand is greater on sunny days, so water is generally applied about once every three days. Water appropriately on cloudy days, and drain promptly on rainy days to avoid water accumulation in the field, which could drown the king grass. Finally, on the basis of sufficient base fertilizer, more fertilizer is also needed, especially during the tillering stage of king grass. In order to accelerate the speed of tillering and increase the number of tillers, more fertilizer should be applied. Next, fertilize when king grass grows to about sixty cm. Finally, fertilize before king grass enters winter. The fertilizer must mainly be nitrogen fertilizer or manure and urine water.
5. Pest and disease control
The resistance of king grass is still relatively good, but anthracnose and powdery mildew can still occur. We can use carbendazim or Bordeaux mixture for control, while strengthening field management. Next, the more common insect pests are cutworms, aphids, and stem borers, which can be killed with trichlorfon or dimethoate emulsion.
The above are the cultivation methods of king grass. I hope they can help you!