Detailed Explanation of Key Techniques for High-Yield Cultivation of Scutellaria baicalensis

Medicinal MaterialScutellaria baicalensisis a perennial herb of the Lamiaceae family, with its roots used as medicine. It has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory, blood pressure-lowering and diuretic, and detoxifying and cholagogic effects, and is a commonly used Chinese medicinal material.

Scutellaria baicalensis prefers warmth and tolerates severe cold; its underground parts can withstand temperatures as low as -30°C. It is drought-tolerant and afraid of waterlogging; when planted in poorly drained areas, it grows poorly and is prone to root rot. Its cultivation techniques are described below:

I. Propagation methods. Scutellaria baicalensis is mainly propagated by seed, and can also be propagated by cuttings or root division.

1. Seed propagation: Direct sowing is generally used. Scutellaria baicalensis seeds are small, and seedling emergence is relatively difficult, so the land should be finely prepared before sowing. When preparing the land, apply 2000-3000 kg of decomposed barnyard manure per mu, then plow deeply and harrow finely, form ridges and make beds, requiring the bed surface to be fine and level. Sloped land without irrigation conditions does not need beds. Spring sowing is generally in March-April, summer sowing in June-July, and winter sowing is also possible. Drilling is generally used. Open shallow furrows 2-3 cm deep at a row spacing of 25-30 cm, sow the seeds evenly into the furrows, cover with about 1 cm of soil, and press lightly after sowing. The sowing rate is 0.5-1 kg per mu. Water after sowing and keep the surface soil moist regularly; seedlings will emerge in about 15 days. After emergence, thin out the overly dense weak seedlings. When the seedlings are 6-7 cm tall, thin to a plant spacing of 12-15 cm, and transplant seedlings with soil to fill in gaps where seedlings are missing.

2. Root division propagation: At harvest time, select and keep some high-yield, high-quality rhizomes as propagation material. If dug and harvested in winter, bury the rhizomes indoors in a cool place and divide and plant them in the second spring; if harvested in spring, dig and plant immediately. Divide the rhizomes into several plants, each with a few buds, and then plant them in the field at a row spacing of 30×20 cm. The survival rate is relatively high when this method is used on sloped land.

II. Field management. Keep the soil moist during the seedling emergence period. Pay attention to drainage and waterlogging prevention during the rainy season. Pay attention to loosening the soil and weeding. After thinning, apply the first topdressing, with 500 kg of dilute human manure or 3-5 kg of urea per mu. In June-July, apply the second topdressing, with 30 kg of ammonium phosphate per mu. In the second and third years, after the plants turn green, apply 40-50 kg of decomposed cake fertilizer per mu, and before the rows close in late June, apply 30-40 kg of ammonium phosphate in furrows, then cover with soil and water.