How to Grow Panax notoginseng? The Latest Scientific Cultivation Techniques and Methods Tutorial

Panax notoginseng (Sanqi) is a plant of the genus Panax in the Araliaceae family, and is a precious Chinese medicinal herb, mainly produced in Yunnan and Guangxi, and historically in Guangdong, Sichuan, Guizhou, Hunan and other places. In recent years, the safety of medicinal herb production has received increasing attention. In order to bring Panax notoginseng production in line with international requirements, the focus of Panax notoginseng production must shift from yield to quality, so as to ensure that commercial Panax notoginseng has the characteristics of high saponins, low pesticide residues and low heavy metal content. The cultivation and planting techniques for Panax notoginseng are introduced below for reference and application.

Site Selection and Land Preparation

For Panax notoginseng cultivation, it is advisable to choose slightly acidic sandy loam soil, with convenient drainage and irrigation, and a plot with a certain slope. The soil pH value should be 5.5-7.0, and the altitude requirement is preferably 1000-1800m. In order to ensure the production of high-quality Panax notoginseng, it is necessary to consider whether the pesticide residues and heavy metal content in the soil exceed the limits. The limit standards are as follows: BHC ≤0.2mg/kg, DDT ≤0.2mg/kg, Pb ≤50mg/kg, Cu ≤80mg/kg, Cd ≤2mg/kg, Hg ≤lmg/kg, As ≤20mg/kg. Land preparation for Panax notoginseng requires three plowings and three harrowings, fully breaking up the soil clods, and exposing them to sunlight. For plots that have previously been planted with Panax notoginseng, 50-70kg of lime per mu of land is needed for disinfection treatment.

Building the Shed and Making Beds

Mark points and plant stakes at 1.8×1.8m. The shed-building materials can use dedicated shade netting for Panax notoginseng, or local materials such as tree branches, mountain grass, and crop straw, but the light transmittance rate needs to be adjusted to between 8%-15%, preferably not exceeding 20%, and absolutely must not exceed 30%, otherwise Panax notoginseng cannot grow normally. The height of the shade shed is preferably about 1.8-2m; too low is not conducive to farming operations, and too high makes it vulnerable to wind damage. The beds for Panax notoginseng should be 120-140cm wide and 15-20cm high, made into a curved-tile shape, with the bed soil firm on top and loose below.

Sowing and Transplanting

Panax notoginseng seeds have after-ripening characteristics and need to be stored in wet sand until December to January of the following year to break their dormancy, at which point they can be sown. For sowing, make a self-made template at a spacing of 4x5cm, and punch 2-3cm deep holes in the bed surface for dibbling. The sowing rate is 180,000-200,000 seeds per mu. Seedling transplanting requires digging and transplanting on the spot from December to January of the following year. The method also uses a 10×12.5cm or 10×15cm template to punch holes, so that the dormant bud faces downward during transplanting, with a planting density of 26,000-32,000 plants/mu. Before sowing and transplanting, seed soaking treatment must be carried out with 64% oxadixyl + 50% carbendazim 500-fold solution. After planting, cover with burnt soil or fine soil mixed with farmyard manure until the sowing material is no longer visible, then scatter a layer of crushed mountain grass or pine needles.

Field Management

1. Drought-resistant watering: After sowing, Panax notoginseng does not emerge until March-April. During this period, artificial watering is needed (if the soil has nighttime moisture, watering may be omitted). The method requires sprinkler irrigation until water flows on the bed surface. Generally, water thoroughly 2-3 times a month until the rainy season arrives.

2. Regulating light transmittance: One- and two-year-old Panax notoginseng requires a relatively low light transmittance rate, generally about 10%, while three-year-old Panax notoginseng requires a relatively strong light transmittance rate, preferably about 15%. By regulating the light transmittance rate of the shade shed, the purpose of increasing individual root weight can be achieved.

3. Topdressing: The budding stage (June) and flowering stage (September) of Panax notoginseng are peak fertilizer absorption periods, and topdressing should be carried out at these times. Topdressing for Panax notoginseng is mainly farmyard manure, supplemented with a small amount of compound fertilizer. The topdressing rate of farmyard manure is 2000-2500kg/mu/time, and the topdressing rate of compound fertilizer is 10-15kg/mu/time.

4. Bud removal, flower thinning and fruit protection: In cool regions where the main goal is producing tubers, when the flower stalk of Panax notoginseng grows to 3-5cm, remove it, which can greatly increase tuber yield. In seed-production fields, thinning out 1/3 of the inflorescence of the central flower buds during the flowering period of Panax notoginseng can achieve a satisfactory yield of red seeds (fruit).

5. Garden cleanliness: Promptly pull out various weeds in the Panax notoginseng garden by hand, remove diseased plant residues, and burn or deeply bury them far from the garden. Garden cleanliness is an important measure to improve light penetration and prevent the spread of diseases in Panax notoginseng, and must be given great attention.

Pest and Disease Control

Because Panax notoginseng has a long cultivation period (2-3 years) and grows in a shaded and highly humid cultivation environment, it has many diseases that spread rapidly. The main diseases are black spot and root rot. Panax notoginseng pests generally do not cause harm, and controlling them 1-2 times with phoxim during the entire growth period is sufficient.

1. Black spot: It spreads during the rainy season, manifesting as light brown elliptical lesions on leaves and stems, which then become sunken and produce black mold-like substances, and in severe cases twisting and breaking occur. The control method is to spray the leaves with 40% dimethachlon 500-fold solution + 70% thiophanate-methyl 500-fold solution at the early stage of the disease, or spray the leaves with 45% amobam aqueous solution 1000-fold solution.

2. Root rot: Panax notoginseng root rot is a soil-borne disease, mainly occurring at the seedling emergence stage (March-April) and flowering stage (August-October). Its symptoms are drooping and yellowing leaves, and rotting of tubers or rhizomes. The control method is to mix 10% phenazine oxide + 70% dexon + 25% triadimefon, each 1kg/mu, with 150kg of fine soil to make medicated soil and broadcast it at the early stage of the disease, which has a good control effect.

Prohibited Pesticides

For high-quality Panax notoginseng cultivation, highly toxic and high-residue pesticides must be prohibited. Organochlorines: DDT, BHC, quintozene, dicofol. Organophosphates: phorate, methamidophos, omethoate, kitazine, trichlorfon. Organic arsenics: tecloftalam, tianan, asomate. Carbamates: carbofuran, cartap. Organic mercuries, fluorine preparations, etc.

Harvesting

Spring Panax notoginseng (not kept for seed) is harvested in October, and winter Panax notoginseng (kept for seed) is harvested in December; after cleaning, it is classified and sun-dried or oven-dried, maintaining a moisture content of 12%-13%, then tumbled and polished to become commercial Panax notoginseng.