How to select Stylosanthes seeds? What are the seedling raising methods?
Stylosanthes belongs to the legume family and is an excellent grass species for over-seeding and improving natural grasslands and for soil and water conservation, and it is also an important forage resource in tropical regions. It was first introduced to China in the 1960s, and currently the largest cultivated areas are in Hainan, Guangdong, Guangxi, Fujian and Yunnan. So how should Stylosanthes seedsseeds be selected? What are the seedling raising methods? Let's find out together.
How to select Stylosanthes seeds?
With the gradual expansion of Stylosanthes planting area, its varieties have also become increasingly diverse. In particular, in recent years the Institute of Tropical Crop Genetic Resources of the Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences has bred several new Stylosanthes varieties suitable for planting in the south, such as Stylosanthes 184, Reyan No. 2 Stylosanthes, Reyan No. 5 Stylosanthes, Reyan No. 13 Stylosanthes, and Seca Stylosanthes, and these have been promoted and planted on a large scale in Hainan, Guangdong and other parts of southern China. Of course, different Stylosanthes varieties have different plant characteristics, so before selecting seeds, growers in each production area must carefully distinguish them and choose varieties suitable for local planting.
What are the seedling raising methods?
1. Seed treatment
Stylosanthes seeds have a high hard seed rate, with a germination rate of only about 15%. Before sowing, soak the seeds in 80°C hot water for 2 minutes, or directly rub the seed coat with a brick to break it, so as to increase the germination rate. It can be sown alone or mixed with gramineous forage to establish artificial grassland.
2. Sow at the right time
Stylosanthes can be propagated directly by seed, or by seedling transplanting and cuttings. When sowing seeds directly, weeds should be cleared and the land should be finely prepared, with 7500 kg of organic fertilizer and 300-450 kg of calcium magnesium phosphate fertilizer applied per hectare. It can be drilled or spot-sown. For drilling, the row spacing is 70-80 cm and the sowing rate is 4.5 kg per hectare; for spot sowing, the plant and row spacing is 50-80 cm and 1.5 kg of seed is used per hectare. Sow in February-March on wet days, and cover lightly with soil after sowing.
3. Seedling management
According to different varieties, planting area and labor arrangements, sowing and seedling raising should be carried out in stages and batches, and transplanting should also be done in stages and batches. Generally, a batch of seedlings is raised about every 7 days, and 4-7 batches are raised in total. In order to cultivate strong seedlings, generally 1 kg of Stylosanthes seeds is sown over 200-267 m2. After sowing, soil is generally not covered; a small four-tooth rake can be used to lightly rake the bed surface 1-2 times, and if conditions permit, a layer of rice straw can be covered and water sprinkled on. After 3 days, once the seeds show white, the straw cover can be removed.
4. Seedling transplanting
For seed production, seedling transplanting is better. After direct broadcasting, thinning and gap filling should be carried out on plots where growth and distribution are uneven, and thinning and gap filling should be done after rain. After transplanting, check for missing plants and fill gaps promptly. If the supplementary seedlings are too long, they can be cut at the tail before transplanting, and after they survive, fertilizer management should be strengthened.
Stylosanthes has a well-developed root system and many branches, and is drought-tolerant, acid-tolerant, barren-tolerant and tolerant of short-term waterlogging. It is suitable as feed for livestock in winter. In addition to being used as forage, it can also play a role in covering, soil and water conservation and green manure. In short, Stylosanthes has a wide range of values and uses, and growers should master its seedling raising techniques well to promote increased yield and income.
For wonderful pictures and text and popular comments about Stylosanthes seed selection and seedling raising, you may be interested in the following recommendations from Nongxun Network. Welcome to read.
Agricultural products you may be interested in: national supply of high-quality Stylosanthes seeds