Lotus Root: The Latest Production Area Distribution Explained in One Article
Lotus root is the rhizome of a plant in the lotus family (Nelumbonaceae), mildly sweet and crisp, and can be eaten raw or cooked as a dish, making it one of the common table vegetables. Its place of origin is India, and in China it is distributed in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Hubei, Shandong, Henan, Hebei, Guangdong and other places. Let's take a look below at the production area distribution of lotus root!
Production Area Distribution of Lotus Root
The place of origin of lotus root is India, and it was later introduced to China. At present it is cultivated in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Hubei, Shandong, Henan, Hebei, Guangdong and other places in China. Among the more famous ones are Baoying lotus root and Jinhu lotus root in Jiangsu Province, Linyi lotus root in Shandong Province, and Cizhou white lotus root in Hebei Province.
Production Area Environment of Lotus Root
1. Temperature: Lotus root originated in warm, humid regions, and during its growing period it needs high temperatures and a sunny, well-lit environment, requiring growth in hot, rainy seasons. Sprouting needs a temperature of 15°C; at 20°C it grows lotus runners, fibrous roots and standing leaves; at 35°C it grows vigorously, buds and flowers; the most suitable temperature for the lotus-root-setting period is 25°C, and growth stops when the temperature drops to 15°C.
2. Water: Lotus root is an aquatic vegetable, with a large and rapid water consumption, but its root system has a very weak ability to absorb water. It likes shallow water and high temperatures and cannot tolerate drought, and during the growing period a water layer of a certain depth must always be maintained. During the sprouting and growth period the water level should be shallow, to help raise the soil temperature and promote early sprouting and fast growth; during the vigorous growth period the water level should be deep, to help the plant grow robustly; and during the lotus-root-setting period the water level should again be lowered, to promote early lotus root formation.
3. Soil and Fertilizer: The lotus root plant is large and extremely tolerant of fertilizer, and it likes soft, fertile clay soil. Fertilizer is generally based mainly on base fertilizer, with base fertilizer accounting for 70% of the total fertilizer application, supplemented by topdressing, which accounts for 30%. The base fertilizer is mainly fully decomposed chicken manure, pig manure and farmyard manure, combined with diammonium, potassium sulfate or ternary compound fertilizer, while topdressing is mainly urea and compound fertilizer. Applying more farmyard manure can reduce the reddish-brown rust spots attached to the surface of the lotus root.
China's Hometowns of Lotus Root
1. Baoying Lotus Root: Baoying County in Jiangsu Province is a nationally renowned hometown of lotus root. As early as the Sui and Tang dynasties, Baoying began cultivating lotus root artificially. Over more than a thousand years of history, Baoying lotus farmers have passed the craft down from generation to generation, making the lotus root grow more luxuriant and better and better. The specialty lotus root starch has the characteristics of “pure, white, thin and large”, and was long used as an imperial dietary item in the Ming and Qing dynasties, earning the reputation of “goose-feather snowflakes”.
2. Linyi Lotus Root: Hedong District of Linyi City, Shandong Province, relying on the ten-thousand-mu lotus ponds of Jingang Ridge in Bahu Town, guides farmers to grow lotus root and develop cash crops and sightseeing agriculture, increasing farmers' income with notable economic and social benefits. In 2008 it was officially named “China's Hometown of Lotus Root” by the China Vegetable Marketing Association.
3. Cizhou White Lotus Root: Cizhou white lotus root is a specialty of Ci County, Hebei Province, and is a Chinese geographical indication product. Ci County has a long history of planting lotus root; as early as the Three Kingdoms period it was listed as a tribute, supervised by lotus-root officials and presented to the imperial court year after year. The soil in this area mostly consists of still-water sedimentary parent material, or clayey lacustrine still-water sediment, with surface textures mostly medium loam and heavy loam, suitable for cultivating lotus root. It is Hebei Province's “hometown of lotus root”, famous for being white and clean, thick and long, thin-skinned, crisp and tender, and free of residue.
4. Jinhu Lotus Root: Jinhu County in Jiangsu Province is home to Baima Lake, Gaoyou Lake and Baoying Lake, with the Huaihe River's river-to-lake channel passing through its territory. Its abundant water surface resources and aquatic resources have formed Jinhu's unique water-town character, and it has long been known as the “hometown of lotus culture”. With its long planting history and high-quality varieties, Jinhu lotus root has become the area's best-known geographical indication product.