What is the outlook for Paris polyphylla cultivation? The latest analysis and interpretation

Paris polyphylla, also known as Dujiaolian, Baigansui, Zhihuatou and Jinxian Chonglou, is the rhizome of Paris polyphylla var. yunnanensis, a plant of the Liliaceae family. It is hard and brittle, white in cross-section, and has the effects of clearing heat and detoxifying, reducing swelling and relieving pain, and cooling the liver and calming fright. It is used for boils and carbuncles, sore and swollen throat, venomous snake bites, bruises and injuries, and convulsions and twitching. Let us take a look together at the cultivation prospects of Paris polyphylla!

Cultivation prospects of Paris polyphylla

Paris polyphylla is a wild medicinal herb. As wild resources decrease year by year, its high medicinal value has led to severe indiscriminate digging by the public. Because the medicinal part has a long growth cycle, the harvestable amount of wild resources is facing exhaustion. Prices have recently remained stable at a high level. Although goods on the market are not moving very quickly at present, due to the reduction in resource quantity, the high-price trend has never been reversed. At present, domestic general-grade goods on the market sell for around 780 yuan, selected goods for around 870 yuan, and imported goods for between 280 and 290 yuan. Although artificial cultivation has succeeded, there is little supply on the market, and the trend of development is slow. It still has not reached scale, and the cultivation cost is also relatively high.

Cultivation conditions of Paris polyphylla

1. Geography: Wild Paris polyphylla grows in valleys at an altitude of 700 to 1100 m, beside mountain streams, and in shady, damp places under broad-leaved forests.

2. Soil: Paris polyphylla grows best in slightly acidic humus soil with good water permeability or in fertile sandy soil. It cannot grow in alkaline soil or clay soil, and heavy, water-accumulating, and compacted soil is not suitable for planting.

3. Water: Paris polyphylla prefers a cool, shady, damp environment with moderate moisture. It is both afraid of drought and afraid of water accumulation. If the soil moisture content is too low, it easily causes the stems and leaves to lose water and the root system to dry up and die, while if it is too high, pests and diseases easily occur and the rhizome rots.

4. Temperature: Paris polyphylla plants are relatively cold-tolerant, with no freezing damage at low temperatures. From late February to early March, at a temperature of 5 degrees C, or even at a minimum temperature of 2 degrees C, they can still sprout and grow. At a temperature of 1 to 2 degrees C, no freezing damage occurs to the buds. Generally, the suitable temperature for seed germination, root growth and development, and terminal bud germination is 18 to 20 degrees C, for emergence is 20 degrees C, for aboveground plant growth is 16 to 20 degrees C, and for underground rhizome growth is 14 to 18 degrees C.

5. Light: Paris polyphylla is a shade-loving plant. It prefers slanted or diffused light and avoids direct strong light. Its growth requires a shaded environment. Stronger light will cause the leaves to wither. Generally, the seed germination and seedling stages require relatively good shading, while in the two years before maturity, shading should be appropriately reduced and light increased, which is beneficial to the accumulation of secondary metabolites and dry matter.

Cultivation techniques of Paris polyphylla

1. Thinning and replanting: Usually in mid to late May, thinning is carried out in directly sown fields, and at the same time gaps are checked and filled. Before thinning, water the field first, take out seedlings with a wooden pry, and when replanting, water with root-setting water. Make full use of small seedlings to ensure a full stand and sufficient density.

2. Intertillage and weeding: Paris polyphylla requires loose soil. The aboveground part has relatively weak growth, so special attention should be paid to loosening the soil and weeding. Generally from late May to early June, there is a lot of heavy rain, and the soil easily becomes compacted, so drainage should be timely to prevent waterlogging. Frequent intertillage and shallow loosening of the soil are needed, and weeds should be removed at any time.

3. Timely shading: Paris polyphylla likes shade and fears strong light. Throughout the whole growth period, a light transmittance of 40 to 50% is best. Therefore, shading measures should be taken after emergence and transplanting. Where conditions permit, shade nets are best used. Where conditions do not permit, inserting branches for shade can be adopted. Intercropping or relay intercropping with corn for shade can also be tried, but attention should be paid to density and the intercropping or relay intercropping method.

4. Topdressing and earthing up: Paris polyphylla usually has a growth pattern in which the upper part flowers while the lower tuber expands. Generally, growth is fastest from mid to late June to the end of August. A heavy topdressing must be applied in early June, using 2000 to 3000 kg of cattle and sheep barnyard manure or farmyard manure per mu, plus 20 to 30 kg of calcium superphosphate, applied to the root area and then combined with clearing the ditch and heavy earthing up. The soil on the ridge must be loose, the bed surface should be maintained, and there should be no water accumulation at the bottom of the ditch.

5. Harvesting and processing: Around the time when Paris polyphylla falls back in autumn, that is, from November to December to before March of the following year, it can all be harvested. The tubers mostly grow in the surface soil layer and are easy to dig, but care should be taken to keep the tubers intact. First cut off the stems and leaves, then dig from the side with a hoe, dig out the tubers, shake off the soil, scrub clean with clean water, slice while fresh, with a slice thickness of 2 to 3 mm, and sun-dry. On cloudy days, they can be dried over a low fire at about 30 degrees C.