Detailed Explanation of New Standardized Cultivation Techniques for Peucedanum praeruptorum
Peucedanum decursivum (Miq.) Maxim., of the family Apiaceae, is a perennial herb 1-2 m tall. Leaves are once to nearly twice pinnately parted; the edges of the petiolules are extended into wings; the ultimate segments are elliptical, oblong-lanceolate to obovate-elliptical, 5-13 cm long and 2.5-5.5 cm wide, with fine and regular serrations along the margins; the upper stem leaves become enlarged purple leaf sheaths. Compound umbels are terminal or axillary; there are several small involucres, lanceolate; the flowers are deep purple, forming nearly spherical umbellules, with filamentous pedicels. The fruit is ovate to ovate-oblong. The flowering period is August-September, and the fruiting period is October.
It grows on hillsides, forest edges, or in thickets and grasslands. It is mainly produced in Jiangxi and Anhui. Harvesting and processing: dig it up from winter to the following spring when the stems and leaves have withered or before the flowering stems have bolted, remove the fibrous roots, and sun-dry or dry at low temperature.
The root is thick and large, with several branch roots. The leaves are firm-papery, once to nearly twice pinnately parted; the lower first-order segments have petiolules and are 3-parted; the edges of the petiolules are extended into wings; the lateral segments and the base of the terminal segment are connate, or the terminal segment has 3 small lobes, with winged extensions above the common petiolule, and the wings are serrated; the ultimate segments are elliptical, oblong-lanceolate to obovate-elliptical, 5-13 cm long and 2.5-5.5 cm wide, with fine and regular serrations along the margins; the petiole is 10-20 cm long; the upper stem leaves gradually simplify into broad, enlarged purple leaf sheaths. Compound umbels are terminal or axillary; the peduncles are 3-8 cm long and pubescent; the involucre has 1-2 bracts; the small involucres are several, lanceolate; the rays number 10-20, pubescent, purple, 2-4.5 cm long; the flowers are deep purple, forming nearly spherical umbellules, with filamentous pedicels. The fruit is ovate to ovate-oblong, about 6 mm long and about 4 mm wide; the mericarps are flat on the back, with 1-3 oil tubes in each furrow and 4-6 oil tubes on the commissure; the ventral side of the endosperm is straight.
I. Propagation Methods
Peucedanum praeruptorum produces many seeds and the seeds have a relatively high germination rate, so it can be propagated by seed, by raising seedlings and transplanting, or by direct sowing. The fruit generally matures in September-October, and when the fruit of
Peucedanum decursivum turns yellow-white, cut it off together with the pedicel using scissors, place it indoors for a period of after-ripening, then rub off the fruit, remove impurities, and dry it in the shade for storage.
II. Land Selection and Land Preparation
Land selection and land preparation: choose flat land or sloping land with sufficient sunlight and moist but non-waterlogged soil for planting. It is best in the previous winter to remove the dead remains of the previous crop and weeds from the ground, spread them on the surface and burn them, and then deep-plow the land to let it overwinter. In February of the following year, apply decomposed pig and cattle manure and then plow the soil once more, remove weeds, and harrow finely and level.
III. Sowing: Generally, the direct sowing method is better
Sow in early March; hole sowing or drill sowing is preferable, as it facilitates weeding and fertilizer management. On the bed, open holes at a spacing of 8 cun square, with a depth of 1.5 cun. Mix the seeds with burnt soil ash and scatter them evenly into the holes, then cover with a layer of soil or burnt soil ash until the seeds are no longer visible. Finally, cover with grass to preserve moisture and promote uniform emergence, and remove it when germination occurs. The seeding rate is 2-3 jin per mu.
IV. Field Management
(1) Cultivation management of Peucedanum praeruptorum is relatively easy, mainly consisting of weeding. Weeding methods include chemical herbicide weeding and manual weeding. Chemical herbicide weeding: ① Weeding before sowing. Chemical weeding should mainly rely on soil application before sowing, striving to ensure that a single application protects the entire growth period from weed damage. Commonly used agents for soil treatment before sowing are as follows: 1. 48% trifluralin emulsifiable concentrate: trifluralin has a broad herbicidal spectrum and can effectively control annual grass weeds that reproduce by seed. Its field efficacy lasts 2-3 months. Spraying time: 5-10 days before sowing, before weeds germinate and emerge, use 80-100 ml of 48% trifluralin emulsifiable concentrate per mu, diluted in 40-50 kg of water, and spray evenly on the soil surface. Shallow plowing should be carried out immediately after spraying to mix the solution into the 5-7 cm soil layer in time; sowing can only be done 5-7 days after application. 2. 50% acetochlor emulsifiable concentrate: apply before or after sowing, but it must be applied before weeds emerge. Use 70-75 ml of this agent per mu, diluted in 40-60 kg of water, and spray evenly on the soil surface. ② Weeding after sowing and before emergence. Peucedanum praeruptorum emerges more than 15 days after sowing; therefore, when weeds have turned green and Peucedanum praeruptorum has not yet emerged, spray the field with 150-250 ml of 20% paraquat aqueous solution diluted in 25-30 kg of water. Alternatively, 150-200 ml of 41% Roundup or glyphosate aqueous solution diluted in 30-40 kg of water may be used for spraying. After Peucedanum praeruptorum emerges, the above agents must never be used for weeding, so as not to kill the medicinal seedlings. According to the trial results in 2005, spraying should be done within 14 days.
③ Weeding after emergence. No trial was conducted in 2005, so it must be used with caution. Manual weeding. Intertillage and weeding are generally carried out before the rows close; the depth of intertillage depends on the growth of the underground part. During the seedling stage, the medicinal plant is small and weeds tend to grow, so weeding should be done frequently. After the plants grow luxuriantly, hoeing should not be used for weeding at this time to avoid damaging the plants; manual pulling of weeds may be used, but it is time-consuming and labor-intensive.
(2) Fertilization. Peucedanum praeruptorum has a low fertilizer requirement; apply some pig and cattle manure in the early stage. After the seedlings emerge completely, apply human and livestock manure water or urea in combination with intertillage and weeding, and later some compound fertilizer may be applied. When fertilizing, be careful not to damage the roots or leaves.
(3) Disease and pest control. The main disease is powdery mildew. After onset, powdery lesions appear on the leaf surface, gradually expand, and the leaves turn yellow and wither. Control methods: promptly pull out and burn infected plants, and spray triadimefon for control.
V. Harvesting and Processing
This is carried out in November in autumn. First cut off the withered and remnant stems, dig out the whole root, clean off the sand and soil (do not wash), transport it home, air-dry it for 2-3 days, and when the root becomes soft, sun-dry it and it is ready. The drying ratio of Peucedanum praeruptorum is about 40%, and the general yield is 300-400 jin per mu, with high yields reaching 600 jin.