How to select Millettia speciosa seeds? What are the seedling-raising methods?
Millettia speciosa, also known as Jinniuwei and Zuandifeng, is a fairly typical medicinal and edible plant, long known as the "Southern Ginseng." As people's health awareness strengthens, the market price of Millettia speciosa keeps rising, and combined with the over-harvesting of wild resources, artificial cultivation is gradually emerging. It is understood that artificial cultivation of Millettia speciosa is currently mainly carried out through cutting propagation and seed propagation for seedling raising. So how exactly should seeds be selected and seedlings raised? Let's find out together.
How to select Millettia speciosa seeds?
There are quite a lot of Millettia speciosa varieties circulating on the market. When selecting seeds, it is recommended to choose varieties according to the planting season of Millettia speciosa. For example, if sowing in spring, choose early-to-mid-maturing varieties; if planting in autumn, choose mid-to-late-maturing varieties. In addition, when collecting seeds, dead or damaged seeds should be sorted out, and high-quality seeds should be selected for sowing, so that the output will be greater, more sustained, and more profitable.
What are the seedling-raising methods?
1. Seed screening and treatment
Plump Millettia speciosa seeds should be selected, then soaked for one hour in cold water with Kairun fungicide added, after which they can be directly sown into cups. It is worth noting that when sowing into cups, the seeds should not be placed too deep; simply cover the seeds slightly with soil.
2. Seedling-raising method
Adopt the "small arched shed + nutrient cup" seedling-raising method. Arched shed seedling raising is relatively flexible, both convenient and effective, and can prevent seedlings from suffering frost damage, while the plastic film can simply be lifted when the temperature rises. Using nutrient cups for seedling raising can fully ensure the integrity of the seedling root system, and can also ensure that the root system is not damaged when the seedlings are transplanted. In addition, it should be noted that humidity is crucial when sowing; the day before seedling raising, water should first be used to thoroughly soak the soil in the nutrient cups.
3. Cultivating strong seedlings
After 50 percent of the seeds have germinated, potassium dihydrogen phosphate can be diluted 1000 times with water and used to drench, which can strengthen the seedlings. When the seedlings have grown 2-3 leaves and before transplanting, use Yuhualing No. 1 diluted 400 times and drench 2~3 times, which can supplement the nutrients needed for seedling growth, promote seedling root growth, establish an extensive root system, make the seedlings more robust with dark green leaves, and improve the survival rate of seedling transplanting.
4. Seedling-stage management
① After young seedlings produce new vines, scatter 1-2 liang of compound fertilizer per plant to promote seedling growth; the fertilizer must be more than 20 cm away from the seedling roots. In the second year, apply 200 kg of slow-release compound fertilizer per mu in furrows each year, combined with intertillage and weeding; ② When young seedlings grow to 60-70 cm, the tips should be cut (once every three months) to increase the number of branches and leaves; ③ Trellising helps ventilation and light penetration, increases photosynthesis, reduces the occurrence of powdery mildew, and benefits seed yield and quality.
Overall, artificial cultivation of Millettia speciosa is now very widespread, covering multiple planting regions. In order to shorten rooting time and increase the emergence rate, attention should be paid to seedling-raising techniques when using seed propagation. Of course, selecting a good variety is also crucial.
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