Latest Prices of Trichosanthes Seeds and a Detailed Guide to Planting Methods

Trichosanthes is also known as Gualou, Lougua, Lougua and so on. It is a perennial climbing herbaceous plant of the genus Trichosanthes in the Cucurbitaceae family. Its fruit, peel, kernel (seed) and root are all fine traditional Chinese medicinal materials, with effects of clearing heat and resolving phlegm, soothing the chest and dispersing nodules, and moistening dryness and lubricating the intestines. It is distributed in Liaoning, Shaanxi, Gansu, Sichuan, Guizhou, Yunnan and other places in China. Now let us take a look at the prices of Trichosanthes seeds and the planting methods!

How much is a jin of Trichosanthes seeds?

The price of Trichosanthes seeds is about 25 to 35 yuan per jin, but prices vary depending on seed quality, variety, place of origin and market. Trichosanthes can be cultivated between spring and summer. In production, seed or root propagation is mostly used, with 6 jin of seed or 40 to 50 jin of seed roots per mu. Before planting, the seed roots are cut into small sections 9 to 10 cm long, then mixed with plant ash to heal the wounds. The fruit is harvested after it turns yellow in late autumn, generally with a yield of about 500 jin per mu.

Propagation methods of Trichosanthes

1. Direct seeding: Usually in September to October, select mature orange-yellow fruits with short stalks. The following spring, between March and April, soak the seeds in warm water at 40 to 50 degrees C for 1 day and night, take them out to dry, and use damp sand to promote germination. Sow at a hole spacing of 2 m, cover with 3 to 4 cm of soil, and seedlings emerge 15 to 20 days after sowing.

2. Root division propagation: In the north from March to April, and in the south from October to December, dig out all the tuberous roots and reed heads, select fresh, disease-free and insect-free ones for planting, divide them into small sections 7 to 10 cm long, match male and female plants, dig holes and sow at a row spacing of 2×0.3 m, and seedlings can emerge in about 1 month.

3. Layering propagation: Trichosanthes layering propagation is generally carried out in summer and autumn. Pull vigorous stems and vines down to the ground, press soil over the base of the leaves, and after roots grow, cut off the stem part. New stems grow and become new plants, which can be transplanted the following year.

Planting methods of Trichosanthes

1. Deep plowing of the land: Trichosanthes roots can go 1 to 1.5 m deep into the ground, so the planting site needs deep plowing. Usually before the soil freezes, dig 1 ditch 0.5 m deep and 30 cm wide every 1.7 m, so that the soil undergoes a full winter of weathering and loosening and pests and diseases are eliminated.

2. Land preparation and fertilization: In the second year, before “Qingming”, apply 0.5 ten-thousand kg of farmyard manure per mu, mix it evenly with the soil and fill the ditches level, then release water along the ditches to irrigate thoroughly. After 2 to 3 days, level the ditches again and hoe once to loosen the soil. Once the moisture is suitable, planting can begin.

3. Timely loosening of the soil: About half a month after planting Trichosanthes, dig open the soil mound to check. If the seed roots have sprouted and the soil is not dry, level the soil mound to help the young seedlings emerge. If heavy rain falls before emergence and the soil surface is slightly dry afterward, loosen the soil gently, but not too deep.

4. Drainage and irrigation: After planting Trichosanthes, if the soil is dry, open a ditch 9 to 12 cm away from the seed root on one side and water it. After each fertilization, make a field ridge 30 cm away from the plant and release water for irrigation. Pay attention to irrigation throughout the entire growth period.

5. Removing vines and building trellises: When the Trichosanthes stems are about 30 cm long, remove excess stems and vines, leaving only 2 to 3 thick vines per plant. Generally, one trellis is built between every 2 to 3 rows. When building the trellis, 1.5 m long poles can be used. Bury 1 pole every 2 to 2.4, with 3 rows buried in total, thus forming 1 row of Trichosanthes and 1 row of poles.

6. Guiding seedlings onto the trellis: When the Trichosanthes stems are about 30 cm long, insert 1 sorghum stalk beside each melon to guide the stems and vines to climb onto the trellis. Select 2 to 3 vigorous stems per plant to extend toward the middle. Excess branches and axillary buds on top of the trellis should be removed in time.

7. Timely topdressing: In the first year after planting Trichosanthes, if the base fertilizer is insufficient, apply fertilizer once in June. From the second year on, apply fertilizer twice each year. The first time is when the seedlings are about 34 cm tall, and the second time is in the middle of June (between flowering). Both are mainly organic fertilizers.

8. Artificial pollination: Plant some male Trichosanthes appropriately between rows or beside the trellis. During the flowering period, at 8 to 9 in the morning, use a new writing brush or cotton to dip up pollen grains from male flowers, then touch them to the stigmas of female flowers. One male flower can pollinate 10 to 15 female flowers.

9. Timely harvesting: Trichosanthes begins to bear fruit 2 to 3 years after planting. From “Autumn Equinox” to “Frost's Descent”, when the fruit is still green, the seeds are already filled and can be picked in batches. If there is no time to pick them, cut the Trichosanthes vines from the root so that the Trichosanthes hangs on the trellis for a period.

Pest and disease control of Trichosanthes

1. Anthracnose

[Damage] It generally occurs at the seedling stage and adult plant stage, mainly damaging leaves and fruits. When the disease is severe, the entire fruit shrinks and rots, seriously affecting Trichosanthes yield.

[Control] Spray with 86.2% Copper Master 1000 to 1400 times liquid, or carbendazim wettable powder 800 times liquid, or 25% chlorothalonil 600 times liquid, or 10% Score dispersible granule 6000 to 7000 times liquid. Spray once every other week, rotate the pesticide varieties, and spray 2 to 3 times in succession.

2. Gummy stem blight

[Damage] Aboveground parts such as stems, leaves, melons and tendrils are damaged, but the roots are not harmed. The stem is mostly infected at the stem base and nodes. Initially, oil-soaked elliptical lesions appear on the diseased part, then turn white, exude gum, and are densely covered with small black spots.

[Control] Focus on control at the seedling emergence stage. Spray the stem base with 40% DuPont Fuxing emulsifiable concentrate 800 times liquid, or drench the roots or spray the whole field with 5% Junduqing 300 to 500 times liquid. Apply control again after 4 to 5 days, and thereafter depending on the disease condition.

3. Melon fruit fly

[Damage] June to September is the peak damage period. It lays eggs inside the young fruit rind, hatches, and bores into and feeds on the melon fruit, damaging the rind tissue, affecting seed embryo development, making melon seeds unfilled, increasing shriveled seeds, and reducing melon seed yield.

[Control] After fruit set is stable in late June and early July, use 48% Lebenc emulsifiable concentrate 2000 times liquid for control, or spray 2.5% DikeSi emulsifiable concentrate 2000 times liquid, or use 80% dichlorvos emulsifiable concentrate 1000 times liquid.

4. Melon webworm

[Damage] Young larvae feed on the leaf mesophyll on the underside of melon leaves. After the 3rd instar, they spin silk to bind leaves or tender shoots together and hide inside to feed, causing holes or notches in the leaves. In severe cases, only leaf veins remain, and they even bore into fruits and stems to cause damage, seriously affecting melon fruit yield and quality.

[Control] The best control time is in the evening after the sun goes down. Spray evenly with 20% Lujiada 1000 to 1500 times liquid, or 5% Meichu 1500 times liquid, or Lebas 2000 times liquid. Rotate different pesticides to improve control efficacy.

5. Yellow squash beetle

[Damage] It resembles a firefly, also called yellow firefly. It begins laying eggs in early May and mainly damages leaves.

[Control] It can be captured and killed by shaking it off manually. Before flowering, spray with 80% dichlorvos emulsifiable concentrate, or 40% dimethoate 1000 times liquid, or 50% phoxim emulsifiable concentrate 500 times liquid.

6. Aphids

[Damage] Adults suck sap on leaves, tender buds and tender stems, which can cause leaves to curl, deform and shrink, and cause viral diseases.

[Control] Spray with 2.5% beta-cypermethrin 3000 times liquid or 40% dimethoate 1000 times liquid.

7. Clearwing moth

[Damage] Larvae feed on stems and vines, entering the interior from the epidermis. The stems are stimulated and swell into galls. In severe cases, the entire plant dies.

[Control] It can be controlled with 80% dichlorvos emulsifiable concentrate 1000 times liquid.