Detailed Explanation of Key Points for High-Yield Cultivation Techniques of Jiaogulan

Jiaogulan, also known as Qiyedan, Gongluoguodi, Xiaokuyiao, Xiaoye Wuzhualong, Wuyeshen, etc. The whole plant is used as medicine, and it has effects such as inhibiting tumors, lowering blood lipids, anti-aging, strengthening the body, enhancing immunity, protecting the liver, sedation and pain relief, and anti-ulcer. It mainly treats leukopenia caused by radiotherapy and chemotherapy, chronic hepatitis, chronic cholecystitis, chronic atrophic gastritis, ulcer disease, coronary heart disease, diabetes, bronchitis, and many other diseases. It has an inhibitory effect on the proliferation of all cancer cells. Because it contains amino acids and trace elements, and more than 50 kinds of saponins, among which 5 kinds of gypenosides are found to have the same structure as ginseng, it is also a relatively good health food and is praised as "Southern Ginseng".

Morphological characteristics: A perennial climbing herb of the Cucurbitaceae family. The stem is slender, angular, and the tendril tip is 2-cleft or not cleft. Bird's-foot compound leaves, alternate; petiole 2-4 cm long, covered with soft hairs; leaflets 5-7, membranous, lanceolate or ovate-oblong, apex acute or shortly acuminate, base cuneate, margin with shallow wavy small teeth, the middle leaflet relatively large, 4-10 cm long, 1.5-3 cm wide, the lateral leaflets gradually smaller. Flowers unisexual, dioecious; male flowers form axillary, spreading panicles, 10-16 cm long; calyx short and small, 5-cleft; corolla yellow-green, 5-cleft, lobes linear-lanceolate, 2.5-3 mm long; stamens 5, filaments connate in the lower part. Female inflorescence shorter; style 3, ovary spherical. Berry spherical, 5-9 mm in diameter, black when mature.

I. Growth Habits Jiaogulan prefers a cool and humid environment. It is cold-resistant, and the underground rhizome can overwinter in the open field. It fears strong light and waterlogging. It has low requirements for soil, but loam soil with deep soil layers, loose and fertile texture, and rich organic matter is best. Heavy clay, saline-alkali land, and low-lying land are not suitable for planting.

II. Land Preparation and Fertilization Select suitable fields with high terrain and good drainage, and carry out intensive cultivation. Combined with land preparation, apply sufficient base fertilizer: apply 3000 kg of farmyard manure, 20 kg of urea, and 50 kg of phosphorus and potassium fertilizer per mu. Then make beds and wait for sowing.

III. Sowing Jiaogulan is propagated by seeds. It can also be propagated by rhizomes and cuttings. The sowing periods are spring sowing and autumn sowing. Direct sowing: Before sowing, first soak the seeds in warm water at about 50°C for 10 hours. Then sow by dibbling on the prepared bed surface at a row spacing of 60×30 cm, with 5 seeds per hole. Water to preserve soil moisture and promote survival. Rhizome propagation: Select robust, pest-free underground rhizomes and cut them into 5 cm long segments, each segment must have 3 nodes. Then plant the root segments on the prepared bed surface at a row spacing of 30×10 cm. Water to preserve soil moisture and promote survival. Cutting propagation: Select robust, slightly aged stems and vines, take the middle part, cut into 20 cm cuttings, dip the lower cut end in 2000PPM indoleacetic acid solution, and then plant on the prepared bed surface at a row spacing of 60×20 cm. Water to preserve soil moisture and promote survival.

IV. Field Management After Jiaogulan seedlings emerge uniformly, attention should be paid to cultivating and weeding, watering frequently in dry weather, and draining promptly in rainy weather. When the seedlings are 30 cm high, use small bamboo poles to build an "A"-shaped trellis for the stems and vines to twine around. After the first harvest, topdressing should be carried out immediately once: each time apply 10 kg of urea and 5 kg of potassium dihydrogen phosphate to promote early sprouting and rapid growth.

V. Pest and Disease Control The main disease of Jiaogulan is powdery mildew, which can be controlled with triadimefon. The pest is leaf beetle, which can be killed with trichlorfon. For underground pests, use phoxim with poisoned bait for trapping and killing.

VI. Harvesting and Processing Jiaogulan can be harvested twice a year: the first time in June, and the second time around Frost's Descent. Cut Jiaogulan down at the root, dry it until half-dry, cut it into 10 cm small segments, then sun-dry until completely dry before it can be sold as medicine. The yield per mu is 400 kg.