Detailed Explanation of Cultivation Techniques and Planting Methods for Plantain

1. Land preparation and fertilization. Choose moist, relatively fertile sandy loam soil. The root system of plantain is mainly distributed in the 10-20 cm tillage layer, so the land must be prepared carefully. Plow 15-20 cm deep, break up the clods and make beds 1 m wide and 10-15 m long, applying 4000 kg of organic base fertilizer per mu.

2. Sowing. In the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, sowing from early March to early April is suitable, either in drills or by broadcasting. The drill method is simple and saves labor and effort, with a row spacing of 15-20 cm and a plant spacing of 6-7 cm. Open shallow furrows 1-1.5 cm deep, cover with a little soil after sowing so that the seeds are not visible, and press once to prevent soil moisture evaporation and help the seeds germinate. Because the seeds germinate slowly, if the soil is dry, spray water once 2-3 days after sowing, with a small water flow, and after watering lightly loosen the dry surface soil to avoid exposing the seeds. Seedlings emerge 10-15 days after sowing. In the south, hole sowing is often used, with a hole spacing of 25 cm, 10-15 seeds per hole, and a seeding rate of 0.3-0.5 kg per mu.

3. Field management. (1) Thinning. After the seedlings are fully established, remove weeds promptly along with thinning. When the seedlings are 6-7 cm tall, the young seedlings can be harvested for food along with thinning. (2) Intertillage and weeding. Plantain seeds are tiny, and after emergence the plants grow slowly and are easily suppressed by weeds, so weeds should be removed promptly during the seedling stage; generally, loosening soil and weeding are carried out 3-4 times a year. (3) Topdressing. Plantain likes fertilizer; after fertilization there are more leaves, more spikes and longer spikes, and the yield is high. Generally, 3 topdressings are applied: the first in May, applying 1500 kg of dilute human and livestock manure water per mu; the second in early July, applying 10 kg of diammonium phosphate per mu; and the third after seed harvesting, applying 1500 kg of barnyard manure per mu in furrows.

4. Pest and disease control. The main disease is powdery mildew, in which a layer of grayish-white powder appears on the surface or underside of the leaves, and finally the leaves wither and die. In the early stage of the disease, spray with 50% thiophanate-methyl 1000-fold solution for control.

5. Harvesting and processing. Plantain is used medicinally for its seeds. When the fruits are ripe, cut off the fruiting spikes, dry them in the sun, rub out the seeds, and winnow away impurities. The yield is 40-50 kg of dry seeds per mu.