How to select seeds and grow seedlings of Erigeron breviscapus?
Erigeron breviscapus is named because its flowers resemble lamps and its roots resemble Asarum. It is a perennial herbaceous plant with a flowering period throughout the year, traditionally used whole as medicine, collected in summer and autumn. At present, the demand for Erigeron breviscapus raw materials and biological drugs in the pharmaceutical market is growing continuously. Erigeron breviscapus has been listed by the state as a key Chinese herbal medicine variety for development, and many farmers grow it. So how do you select Erigeron breviscapus seeds? What are the seedling raising methods? Let's take a look together below.
1. How to select Erigeron breviscapus seeds?
For Erigeron breviscapus, Kunzhi 7 can be selected as the cultivated variety. Overwintered old seeds have an extremely low germination rate, so newly harvested seeds of the current year must be used. New seeds germinate quickly, have a high germination rate, and produce uniform, robust seedlings that are easy to manage. Because seed maturity is inconsistent, a germination rate test should be conducted before propagation, and only seeds with a germination rate of 50% or more can be used for planting.
Soak the seeds in warm water at about 30°C for 4-5h, then remove the seeds, leave them for about 3h until the surface moisture is slightly dry, and set aside for use.
2. What are the seedling raising methods for Erigeron breviscapus?
1. Seedbed preparation
It is best to choose a field facing the sun, with flat terrain, good drainage and irrigation, and convenient transportation as the planting site, with loose, fertile sandy loam rich in organic matter being preferable. Plow the soil and sun-dry it. Deep plow about 20cm, and apply 3000 kg of decomposed farmyard manure and 5kg of 15:15:15 potassium sulfate compound fertilizer per mu. Intensive cultivation is required, and weeds should be removed before sowing.
2. Sowing and seedling raising
Spring sowing, summer sowing, and autumn sowing are all acceptable. Spring sowing may lead to uneven emergence due to drought, while summer and autumn sowing produce neat emergence. Spring sowing is done from late February to early March, summer sowing is carried out during the rainy season in May-June, and autumn sowing is carried out in August-September.
Mix the prepared seeds with fine manure soil and evenly broadcast them on the sand bed, cover with about 1cm of soil, cover the surface with grass, and water thoroughly, preferably at 2-4g/m2. Each mu of field requires 50 m2 of seedling raising, and seedlings emerge 5-7d after sowing.
3. Seedling stage management
The seedling stage usually lasts 90-95 days.
(1) Shading. Erigeron breviscapus seedlings grow thin and weak, and are afraid of drought, waterlogging, and sun exposure. Whether planting succeeds depends on seedling stage management. Therefore, proper shading of the seedling area is an important measure in seedling stage management. After the seedlings survive, their tolerance to strong light increases, they can resist direct sunlight, and they can grow in the open field.
(2) Building arched sheds. Build arched sheds over the seedling shed by inserting bamboo strips at the edge of the seedbed, inserting one piece every 70cm, forming an arch over the entire seedbed. First cover with plastic film, then cover with shade netting, fix the four corners of the shade netting with small wooden stakes, and finally press the reverse side of the bamboo strips onto the shade netting to prevent the film from flying in the wind. Note: when the temperature inside the arched shed reaches 40°C, holes should be made promptly for ventilation and cooling to prevent seedling burn.
(3) Fertilizer and water management. Erigeron breviscapus has strict water requirements. Within 20d after sowing, the seedbed must be kept moist. After the seedlings are uniform, water should be properly controlled, and watering should be done when the surface soil is dry. On the basis of applying sufficient base fertilizer, apply nitrogen fertilizer once every 30 d, with 5-6 kg of urea per mu each time.
(4) Pest and disease control. The main diseases at the Erigeron breviscapus seedling stage are root rot and downy mildew, and soil moisture must be strictly controlled. The main pests are cutworms, cabbage caterpillars, and others. Highly effective, low-toxicity pesticides can be used, and biological pesticides are best for control.
The above is an introduction to Erigeron breviscapus. Erigeron breviscapus is mainly distributed in Hunan, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, and Sichuan in China, growing in open mountain slopes, grasslands, and forest margins at altitudes of 1200-3500 meters in mid-mountain and subalpine zones. In recent years, as a good natural medicine for treating cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, Erigeron breviscapus has undergone a development process from wild to domesticated cultivation to standardized planting.
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