The Latest Control Methods for Common Pests and Diseases of Polygonatum

Polygonatum, also known as chicken-head Polygonatum or yellow chicken vegetable, is a fairly common Chinese medicinal herb with the effects of tonifying the spleen and moistening the lungs to promote fluid production, and it is extremely widely used in traditional Chinese medicine. However, wild plants cannot meet market demand, so artificial cultivation of Polygonatum has risen, bringing many herb growers relatively high economic returns, but during cultivation it is prone to damage from pests and diseases. Below, let's take a look at Qinnong Web's control methods for common pests and diseases of Polygonatum.

1. Polygonatum black spot disease

Black spot disease is one of the main diseases of Polygonatum during cultivation. It is a fungal disease that mainly harms the leaves. Its pathogen can overwinter in the soil and on diseased residues, and invades and infects when temperatures rise. In the early stage of onset, irregular yellow-brown lesions begin to appear at the leaf tips, with purple-red edges. As the disease develops, the lesions continuously spread and expand, and eventually the entire leaf withers. The disease is more severe during rainy seasons.

Control method: When overwintering, clean the field, gather diseased residues and burn them, then deeply plow and disinfect the soil to reduce the pathogen. Before onset or in the early stage of onset, spray with 50% Tuzet 1000-fold solution, once a week, for 2-3 consecutive times to achieve control.

2. Polygonatum leaf spot disease

Similar to black spot disease, it is also a fungal disease and also mainly harms the leaves. When it occurs, it starts from the base, and the leaves begin to fade and develop spots. As the faded area greatly increases, the lesions also gradually expand, appearing as oval or irregular lesions. The center of the lesions is pale white, the edges are brown, and there is a yellow halo where they meet uninfected tissue. When the disease is severe, multiple lesions combine and cause the leaves to begin, ultimately causing the leaves of the entire plant to wither and fall off.

Control method: Its control method is the same as that for black spot disease.

3. Anthracnose

Anthracnose is a common disease of many plants. It has an extremely wide distribution range and mainly harms leaves and fruits. After Polygonatum is infected, lesions begin to appear at the tips and edges of the leaves, initially red-brown in color, and as the disease develops, the lesions expand and the color also changes to dark brown. The lesion areas often perforate and fall off, causing great harm. When the disease is severe, all the leaves of the entire plant rot and die.

Control method: It is likewise a fungal disease. The preventive method is similar to the previous two. For control, spray with 1000-fold carbendazim solution.

4. Pests

The main pests of Polygonatum include cutworms, grubs, and planthoppers. Among them, cutworms and grubs mainly harm Polygonatum seedlings. They gnaw on Polygonatum's tender stems and young roots, affecting seedling growth or causing seedling death. In summer, which is a period of relatively fast environmental growth, planthoppers harm Polygonatum's flowers and fruits, affecting the seed-setting rate and reducing yield.

Control method: Pest control can combine agricultural control and chemical control methods. Agricultural control mainly eliminates overwintering adults or eggs, reducing pests from the source, or uses natural enemies for control during pest outbreaks, causing less environmental pollution. Chemical control, however, involves spraying specialized insecticides, which also cause some harm to Polygonatum itself, so attention must be paid to the dosage and concentration of the chemicals.

The above are Qinnong Web's control methods for common pests and diseases of Polygonatum. We hope they can help you. To learn more about medicinal herb cultivation knowledge, please stay tuned to Qinnong Web.