A Complete Guide to the Prevention and Control of Major Pests and Diseases of Atractylodes macrocephala
In the cultivation and production of Atractylodes macrocephala, soil, planting stock, fertilizer, and diseased plant residues carrying pathogens are the root causes of disease outbreaks. Therefore, the management of Atractylodes macrocephala diseases must adhere to the policy of "prevention first, prevention more important than treatment, integrated control." On the basis of actively carrying out soil disinfection and treatment of seeds and planting stock, field cultivation management should be strengthened to improve the disease resistance of plants and reduce the occurrence of diseases. Once a disease occurs, chemical agents should be promptly used to block and kill the infection centers, control the spread and transmission of pathogens, and minimize or recover the losses caused by diseases. At the same time, corresponding measures should be taken to control the major insect pests of Atractylodes macrocephala, avoiding losses caused by insect pests accelerating disease transmission and directly causing damage.
I. Agricultural Control
Reasonable crop rotation: Continuous cropping with Chinese cabbage, Scrophularia ningpoensis, peanut, peony, Rehmannia glutinosa, aconite, sweet potato, tobacco, Solanaceae and other Asteraceae crops should be avoided. A rotation of more than 4 years with gramineous crops such as corn, sorghum, and rice should be implemented.
Seed treatment: Dress seeds with 50% carbendazim or 0.3% of 50% dexon wettable powder at 0.5% of the seed weight.
Soil disinfection: For seedling beds and cultivation fields, broadcast 50-75 kg of quicklime per 667 sq m before plowing and raking fine (not suitable for alkaline soil). Before sowing or transplanting, use 2.5 kg of 50% carbendazim wettable powder per 667 sq m, or 10-15 g per sq m of Trichoderma preparation made into medicated soil, and broadcast evenly over the entire field.
Planting stock disinfection: Before planting, soak the planting stock in 500 times dilution of 50% carbendazim wettable powder for 10-15 min, or in 1000 times dilution of 70% Wielda thiophanate-methyl wettable powder for 3-5 min, remove and air-dry before planting; it can also be disinfected by soaking in 1:1:150 Bordeaux mixture.
Timely planting: Sowing should preferably be carried out from late March to early April. The transplanting time for planting stock is from late November to late January of the following year.
Appropriate sparse planting: The basic seedling number per mu should be controlled at 10,000 plants.
Strengthen management
II. Chemical Control
1. Southern blight: In the early stage of disease, irrigate the diseased area with 500-1000 times dilution of 50% carbendazim wettable powder or 70% Wielda thiophanate-methyl wettable powder, etc. It can also be sprayed with 1000 times dilution of 50% procymidone wettable powder, or 1000 times dilution of 20% Xianbao wettable powder, etc.
2. Damping-off: Apply chemicals promptly in the early stage of disease. Options include 800-1000 times dilution of 50% Likujing wettable powder, or 1000 times dilution of 20% tolclofos-methyl emulsifiable concentrate, or 600-800 times dilution of 80% Daconil M-45 wettable powder, or 500 times dilution of 72.2% Previcur aqueous solution for spraying.
3. Root rot: In the early stage of disease, promptly remove the central diseased plants, and irrigate the diseased holes and surrounding plants with 500-1000 times dilution of 50% carbendazim wettable powder or 70% Wielda thiophanate-methyl wettable powder, etc. Alternatively, spray with 1000 times dilution of 3% Kejunkang wettable powder, or 1000 times dilution of 98% Lujia 198 wettable powder, etc.
4. Leaf spot: In the early stage of disease, spray with 1:1:100 Bordeaux mixture, or 800 times dilution of 50% Tuzet wettable powder, or 500 times dilution of 70% Wielda thiophanate-methyl wettable powder, or 500 times dilution of 50% iprodione wettable powder, or 300-500 times dilution of 75% chlorothalonil wettable powder, etc., once every 7-10 d, for 2-3 consecutive applications.
5. Rust: In the early stage of disease, spray with 1:1:300-400 Bordeaux mixture, or 600 times dilution of 62.25% Xiansheng wettable powder, or 1000-1500 times dilution of 10% difenoconazole water-dispersible granules, or 1000 times dilution of 15% triadimefon wettable powder, etc., once every 7-10 d, for 2-3 consecutive applications.
6. Control of Atractylodes macrocephala long-tube aphid: When the Atractylodes macrocephala long-tube aphid is most severe from April to June, spray with 1500 times dilution of 50% dichlorvos, or 600-800 times dilution of 2.5% rotenone with a small amount of neutral soap; when the Atractylodes macrocephala fruit borer larvae feed in September, spray with 1500 times dilution of 50% dichlorvos; the small cutworm has its peak damage period from mid-April to late May. Use 15 kg of roasted fragrant bran and an appropriate amount of 90% trichlorfon, add 15 kg of water to make poisonous bait for trapping and killing, or combine with topdressing by washing and mashing Lycoris radiata bulbs and adding 3-4 kg to each bucket of manure water for application.