Detailed Explanation of Key Techniques for Artificial High-Yield Cultivation of Kudzu Root

Kudzu root, also known as fen ge or kudzu vine, belongs to the genus Pueraria in the legume family. Kudzu root is rich in starch and isoflavones, and also contains more than ten trace elements essential to the human body, including calcium, selenium, iron, copper, phosphorus and potassium. It has effects such as “warding off hunger, relieving exterior symptoms and reducing fever, promoting fluid production and quenching thirst, stimulating appetite and aiding digestion, treating hemorrhoids and preventing cancer.” It is an emerging green health and longevity food and a tight export product. The kudzu plant is valuable in every part: the stem bark fiber can be twisted into rope, woven into kudzu cloth, and also used as papermaking raw material. The leaves are excellent green feed and can be used to feed pigs and rabbits. Kudzu residue can serve as a cultivation substrate for edible fungi. The tubers are rich in starch and can be processed into health foods or brewed into kudzu wine. Kudzu flowers can be made into kudzu flower tea, which has remarkable effects in sobering up after drinking, has inhibitory effects on various postpartum conditions in women, and also has breast-enhancing and beauty effects. Artificial cultivation of kudzu root yields significant benefits, producing returns within 1—2 years. At present, the market price of kudzu powder is about 20,000 yuan per dun, and the export price is about 30,000 yuan per ton. Artificial cultivation of superior kudzu varieties can yield 1,500 kg of starch per mu, with an output value of about 30,000 yuan. Because kudzu root development has very good prospects, artificial cultivation and utilization are gradually attracting attention. The artificial open-field cultivation method is introduced as follows:

I. Selecting Good Varieties

Kudzu root is planted to obtain better economic benefits, so when selecting good varieties, high-yield kudzu seedlings should be chosen, such as the high-yield fast-growing kudzu 119, Musheng kudzu, Gan Ge No. 3, Song's kudzu and other varieties. Never plant wild kudzu or local varieties with coarse fiber just to save trouble, otherwise it will result in low benefits.

II. Plastic Film Seedling Raising

1. Preparation of nutrient seedling bed: Choose a mountain plot or garden plot that is sheltered from wind, faces the sun, has sandy soil, and is free from livestock and poultry damage as the seedling bed. Level the seedling bed into ridges 15-20 cm high and 60-100 cm wide, with unlimited length. Apply 1.5-2.5 kg of decomposed barnyard manure or farmyard manure per square meter. Deep plow and rake level, with the middle of the seedling bed slightly raised and ditches on both sides 20-30 cm wide.

2. Seeding operation: (1) The seedling bed must be fully moistened before sowing; (2) Take the selected superior variety kudzu vine stems, use one branch bud as one seed, cut the bud nodes into small sections 6-10 cm long, and scatter them on the prepared seedling bed. To avoid overlap, cover with 2-3 mm of fine soil on top, in principle reaching a state where they are faintly visible, then scatter some decomposed barnyard manure, and cover with a layer of rice straw; (3) Use bamboo strips or small bamboo pieces about 2 m long to insert into the seedling bed in an arch shape, inserting one every 35 cm. Cover well with agricultural film, fully covering the seedling bed in an arch shape, and compact the surrounding edges thoroughly with soil.

3. Seedling bed management: (1) Moisture: Because the temperature during the seedling period is relatively low, the water consumption of the seed stems is not great. If the ridge surface is dry after about 10 days, water once. After the planted roots sprout branches, water demand should be appropriately increased, watering about once every 3 days to keep the seedling bed fully moist; (2) Temperature: The seedling bed temperature is suitable at about 20℃. When the temperature reaches above 30℃, the film should be uncovered for ventilation or water sprayed to regulate, so that the temperature remains balanced; (3) Shading: When the seed spikes sprout branches, the covering rice straw should be uncovered to avoid direct sunlight, and on sunny days shade appropriately at noon to prevent scorching; (4) Lifting seedlings: When the seed spikes grow tender branches, unfold 3 leaves, and reach a length of 5 cm, seedlings can be lifted with soil. The lifting action should be gentle to avoid injury.

III. Land Selection and Preparation

1. Land selection: To achieve high yield in artificial cultivation of kudzu root, the first step is to select good land. First, sweet potato or soybean fields can be used for conversion to planting. Second, choose sandy loam soil with a relatively thick soil layer and good drainage for planting.

2. Land preparation and ridging: Land preparation and ridging begin in mid-February. Before land preparation, apply 500 kg of barnyard manure, 500 kg of stove ash, 50 kg of calcium, magnesium and phosphorus fertilizer, or 200 kg of compound fertilizer per mu. During land preparation, just as with sweet potato ridges, the ridge height is 60-70 cm, and the ridge length is determined by convenience of field operations.

IV. Reasonable Close Planting

From the end of February to mid-March, choose cloudy weather without strong wind for transplanting. Before transplanting, the seedling bed should be thoroughly watered so that seedlings can be lifted with soil. Plant 500-700 plants per mu, with a plant spacing of about 1 m. Before planting, first place the seedlings on the ridges according to the plant spacing, then dig small holes, put the seedlings into the holes, cover with 2 cm of fine soil, and press the soil firm with both hands.

V. Strengthening Management

1. Replanting and fertilizing: After transplanting the seedlings, appropriately use diluted human and livestock manure water to settle the roots, and pay attention to inspection, replanting dead seedlings in time when found. When the seedlings grow to about 30 cm, they must be stimulated twice, and 0.3%-0.5% urea solution can be sprayed, once every 15 days, after which appropriate topdressing can be applied.

2. Intertillage, weeding and pest and disease control: When the kudzu vine grows to 1-2 m, intertillage and weed. Although kudzu root has strong stress resistance, some pests and diseases are still unavoidable, especially in the key season of tuber growth from June to August. To keep the leaves vigorous, carry out pesticide control with no residual toxicity when necessary or use lime powder for control.

VI. Harvesting and Seed Preservation Kudzu root can be dug in the same year or in the second year. Generally, the starch content is highest when dug in November-December. When digging, dig the large ones and leave the small ones, so that with one investment, benefits can be obtained over the long term. Kudzu root is mainly propagated asexually, and for seed preservation, robust and pure plant vines can also be selected as seed stems for the second year. Generally, any part from 1.5 m above the root crown can be used as seed stems.