Detailed Explanation of the Latest Situation of Mugwort Production Area Distribution
Mugwort is a perennial herbaceous or slightly subshrub-like plant of the genus Artemisia in the Asteraceae family. The plant has a strong aroma, and the whole herb is used as medicine, with effects such as warming the meridians, removing dampness, dispelling cold, stopping bleeding, reducing inflammation, relieving asthma, relieving cough, preventing miscarriage, and resisting allergies. After being sun-dried and pounded, it yields “moxa wool,” which is made into moxa sticks for moxibustion use, and can also be used as a raw material for “seal ink paste.” Now let us take a look at the production area distribution of mugwort!
Production Area Distribution of Mugwort
The production area distribution of mugwort is extremely wide. Apart from extremely arid and high-cold regions, it is found almost throughout the country. It grows in wastelands, roadsides, riversides, and mountain slopes from low altitude to medium altitude areas, and is also seen in forest steppes and steppe regions. In some areas, it is the dominant species of the plant community. It is also found in Mongolia, Korea, and the Soviet Union (Far East region), and is cultivated in Japan.
Production Area Environment of Mugwort
Mugwort reproduces and grows extremely easily, has strong adaptability to climate and soil, is cold-resistant and drought-resistant, and prefers a warm, humid climate. It grows better in moist, fertile soil. Under artificial cultivation in hilly and low-to-medium mountain areas, the vigorous growth period is 24-30°C. When the temperature is higher than 30°C, the stems tend to age, branch, and suffer aggravated pests and diseases. When the winter low temperature is less than -3°C, the current-year perennial root grows poorly.
Cultivation Techniques for Mugwort
1. Propagation methods: The propagation methods of mugwort include seed propagation, rhizome propagation, and division propagation. Seed propagation has a low germination rate of only 5%, and the seedling stage is long (2 years), so it is generally not used. Rhizome propagation has a high survival rate, but the seedling stage is relatively long (2 months). Division propagation is best, as it not only has a high survival rate but also has no seedling growth period and propagates quickly, so it is widely adopted. For breeding improved varieties, the requirements are thick and large leaves, thick and upright stems, dark green leaf color, strong aroma, dense covering of fine hairs, and a well-developed seedling root system.
2. Planting density: Usually in February to March, when seedlings are 5-10 cm tall, choose a time when the ground is moist (preferably after rain or on a cloudy day), separate seedlings from the stem base of the mother plant, and plant them at a spacing of 30 cm × 40 cm, with 2-3 plants per hole, then cover with soil and press firmly. If there is no rain within 2-3 days after planting, drip irrigation should be used to preserve soil moisture. Plant 150 plants/sq m, with an average of 4 grams of dried mugwort leaves per plant, and a yield of about 5250 kg of dried mugwort leaves per hectare.
3. Soil cultivation and preparation: Generally, one intertillage and weeding is carried out in early April, with a depth of 15 cm. In early to mid-June, after Qiai mugwort is harvested, the garden plot is turned over and sun-dried, remaining branches and fallen leaves are cleared, and overly dense stem bases and perennial roots are thinned out, with a depth of 15 cm.
4. Fertilizer application: After mugwort planting survives, when the seedlings are 30 cm tall, apply 90 kg/hectare of urea as a seedling-promoting fertilizer, broadcast on rainy days and sprayed on leaves on sunny days. In early November, apply farmyard manure, stable manure, cake fertilizer, etc. as base fertilizer.
5. Water management: Shape the bed surface into a turtle-back form to keep the drainage ditches unobstructed. In dry seasons, when seedlings are below 80 cm tall, use leaf-surface sprinkler irrigation; when seedlings are above 80 cm tall, use full-plot flood irrigation.