How to Grow Atractylodes macrocephala for High Yield? The Latest Cultivation Techniques and Methods Tutorial

Atractylodes macrocephala is a commonly used and important bulk Chinese medicinal herb. It is a perennial herbaceous plant of the genus Atractylodes in the Asteraceae family. Its rhizome is used as medicine and has effects such as strengthening the spleen and stomach, drying dampness and promoting diuresis, stopping sweating, and preventing miscarriage. It is cultivated in places such as Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Fujian, Jiangxi, Anhui, Sichuan, Hubei, and Hunan in China. Now let us take a look together at the high-yield cultivation techniques for Atractylodes macrocephala!

Land Preparation and Fertilization

For the seedling-raising land of Atractylodes macrocephala, choose slightly acidic sandy loam with medium fertility, good drainage, and cool ventilation. Apply 2000 kg of farmyard manure per mu, plow deeply, harrow level and fine, and make beds 1.2 m wide. For the field, it is best to choose fertile, ventilated, cool, well-drained sandy loam where Atractylodes macrocephala has not been planted for 5 years. The previous crop is best as a grass-family crop. After harvesting the previous crop, apply 3000 kg of farmyard manure per mu, together with 50 kg of superphosphate as base fertilizer, plow deeply 20 cm, and make beds 1 to 1.5 m wide.

Seedling Raising and Transplanting

1. Seedling raising: From late March to early April, select new seeds that are plump and free of pests and diseases, soak them in warm water at 30°C for 1 day, then remove and germinate before sowing. Sow in drills or broadcast, using 5 to 7 kg of seed per mu. Seedlings emerge 7 to 10 days after sowing. After emergence, remove the covering straw, strengthen field management, and by winter before transplanting, 400 to 600 kg of fresh Atractylodes macrocephala planting material can be cultivated per mu.

2. Transplanting: Transplanting can be done from the winter of the same year to the spring of the following year. It is best to use those that do not bolt and flower in the same year, have strong main buds, and have small, neat rhizomes the size of an apricot pit. When transplanting, cut off the fibrous roots, open furrows 10 cm deep at a row spacing of 25 cm, place the seedlings into the furrows at a plant spacing of about 15 cm, with the bud tip facing up and level with the ground, press lightly on both sides, and water after planting. Each mu requires 50 to 60 kg of fresh Atractylodes macrocephala.

Field Management

1. Timely thinning: After the Atractylodes macrocephala seedlings emerge, thin them to a plant spacing of 4 to 6 cm. If the weather is dry, weed between plants to reduce water evaporation. Where conditions permit, water in the morning and evening to resist drought. If bolting is found in the later growth stage, remove it promptly.

2. Cultivation and weeding: From the emergence of Atractylodes macrocephala seedlings until May, there are many weeds in the field, so cultivation and weeding should be done frequently. The first few cultivations can be deeper, and afterward shallow hoeing should be used. After mid-May, generally no more cultivation is done. If there are weeds between plants, they can be pulled out by hand.

3. Reasonable fertilization: Around the budding stage of Atractylodes macrocephala, apply topdressing once, applying 20 kg of urea and 30 kg of compound fertilizer in furrows between rows per mu, then cover with soil and water. One week after bud removal, topdressing can be applied once more.

4. Irrigation and drainage: Atractylodes macrocephala needs sufficient water during the growth period, especially during rhizome expansion. If drought occurs, irrigate in time; if water accumulates after rain, drain it in time.

5. Removing flower buds: Atractylodes macrocephala generally begins to bud in mid-June. In early and mid-July, from after budding to before flowering, remove the buds in batches, which helps increase the yield and quality of the rhizomes.

6. Mulching with straw to overwinter through summer: Atractylodes macrocephala fears high temperatures, so in the high-temperature season of July, spread a layer of leaves, wheat bran, and other materials on the ground surface as mulch to regulate soil temperature so that Atractylodes macrocephala can pass through summer safely.

Harvesting and Seed Saving

1. Harvesting and processing: Harvest Atractylodes macrocephala from late October to mid-November when the stems and leaves wither. Dig out the rhizomes, cut off the stems, and transport them back for processing. Those with large size, thick flesh, no tall stems, no fibrous roots, no hollow center, yellow-white cross-section, and rich aroma are best. The yield of dried goods per mu is 400 to 800 jin.

2. Seed-saving technique: For Atractylodes macrocephala, generally in July to August, select plants that are robust, have small branches, large leaves, and flat and large flower buds as mother plants. Remove flower buds that open too late or too early. It is best to keep 5 to 6 flower buds per plant. Harvest seeds in early to mid-November, but the seeds must not be dried in the sun for too long.

Pest and Disease Control

1. Damping-off

[Damage] It occurs easily under low temperature and high humidity, mostly in Atractylodes macrocephala planting land, and damages the rhizome.

[Control] Reduce field humidity. In the early stage of the disease, irrigate with 50% carbendazim 1000-fold solution.

2. Leaf rust

[Damage] It begins in April and is especially severe from June to August, damaging the leaves.

[Control] Remove diseased plants. In the early stage of the disease, use 1:1:100 Bordeaux mixture; in the later stage, spray with 50% thiophanate or carbendazim 1000-fold solution.

3. Southern blight

[Damage] It begins in April and is especially severe from June to August, damaging the rhizome.

[Control] Rotate with grass-family crops, remove diseased plants and disinfect diseased holes with quicklime powder, and disinfect the soil with Trichoderma harzianum before planting.

4. Root rot

[Damage] It begins in April and is especially severe from June to August, and especially severe when humidity is high, damaging the roots.

[Control] Before planting, soak seeds in 50% carbendazim 1000-fold solution for 5 to 10 minutes. In the early stage of the disease, irrigate with 50% carbendazim or 50% thiophanate-methyl 1000-fold solution.

5. Rust disease

[Damage] It begins in May and damages the leaves.

[Control] Clean the field. In the early stage of the disease, spray with 25% triadimefon 1000-fold solution.

6. Atractylodes seed worm

[Damage] It begins in the early flowering stage and damages the seeds.

[Control] Plow deeply and freeze the soil, rotate between paddy and dryland, and in the early flowering stage spray with 80% dichlorvos 800-fold solution.