Detailed Explanation of Key Techniques for High-Yield Cultivation of Figwort

Figwort, also known as Kang-shen or Black Ginseng. Its underground rhizome is used as medicine, with the effects of nourishing yin and reducing fire, and detoxifying and reducing swelling. It mainly treats febrile diseases with restlessness and thirst, tonsillitis, sore and swollen throat, gingivitis, acute lymphadenitis, lymphatic tuberculosis, intestinal dryness and constipation, and other conditions. It is mainly produced in Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Hubei, Sichuan, Anhui, Guizhou and other provinces and regions.

Morphological characteristics: It is a perennial herb of the Scrophulariaceae family, 60-120 cm tall. It has several roots, cylindrical or spindle-shaped, 5-12 cm long, 1.5-3 cm in diameter, often branched in the lower part, with grayish-yellow-brown outer bark. The stem is erect, four-angled, smooth or with glandular pubescence. Leaves are opposite, with ovate-elliptic blades, gradually pointed at the apex, rounded or nearly truncate at the base, with blunt serrations along the margin, and the tooth edges recurved; the leaf underside has sparsely scattered fine hairs. The cyme is loose and spreading, panicle-shaped; pedicels are 1-3 cm long, calyx 5-parted, ovate, blunt at the apex; corolla dark purple, about 8 mm long, 5-parted; stamens 4, didynamous, with another 1 degenerated stamen, scale-like, attached to the corolla tube; disk obvious; ovary superior, 2-loculed, style slender. Capsule ovate, shortly pointed at the apex. Seeds numerous, ovate, blackish-brown or dark gray.

I. Growth habits: Figwort prefers a warm and humid environment. It has strong adaptability, is cold-tolerant and drought-tolerant, and avoids continuous cropping. The suitable growth temperature is 20-32°C. Soil requirements: loose, fertile, deep soil layer, and sandy loam rich in organic matter is best. Heavy clay, low-lying land, and saline-alkali land are not suitable for planting. Stubble of Atractylodes macrocephala, Rehmannia, Aconitum, and leguminous plants is also unsuitable for planting.

II. Land preparation and fertilization: Choose a field with high terrain and good drainage, and plow and harrow carefully. Combined with land preparation, apply sufficient base fertilizer: 5000 kg of farmyard manure, 20 kg of urea, 50 kg of phosphorus-potassium fertilizer, and 50 kg of soybean cake per mu. Then make high beds and wait for sowing.

III. Sowing: In production, figwort is propagated by rhizomes. Sowing periods include autumn sowing and spring sowing. Autumn sowing is around the Beginning of Winter, and spring sowing is around Qingming. The south is suitable for autumn sowing, and the north is suitable for spring sowing. When sowing, plant figwort root buds on the prepared bed surface at a row spacing of 40×20 cm. Water to preserve soil moisture and promote survival.

IV. Field management: After figwort seedlings are fully established, attention should be paid to intertillage and weeding. If planting on a large scale, soil treatment with a medicinal-field herbicide should be carried out before seedling emergence, which can effectively control various weeds. Pay attention to watering in dry weather and drain promptly in rainy weather. Around the Beginning of Autumn, figwort enters the rhizome enlargement stage, and one topdressing should be applied: 10 kg of urea and 10 kg of potassium dihydrogen phosphate per mu. After figwort buds appear, to prevent nutrient consumption, the upper flower buds should be cut off promptly.

V. Pest and disease control: The main diseases of figwort include southern blight, spot blight, and leaf spot. Integrated control measures are often used: 1. Soil sterilization, using 3 kg of 50% carbendazim powder or 50 kg of quicklime per mu. Apply it into the soil during land preparation to kill soil pathogens. 2. Seed treatment, soaking figwort buds in a 500-fold carbendazim solution for 5-10 minutes to kill pathogens on the seed buds. 3. Before disease onset, use a 500-fold 65% mancozeb solution or 1:1:100 Bordeaux mixture for control. At the early stage of disease, use carbendazim for control. The main insect pest is red spider mite, which can be killed with propargite. For underground pests, use phoxim mixed with poisoned bait for trapping and killing.

VI. Harvesting and processing: Figwort is generally dug in autumn after 1 year of growth, after the aboveground stems and leaves wither. First cut off the aboveground stems and leaves, then dig out the underground tubers and remove the soil. Sun-dry until half dry, pile to sweat for 4-5 days, then sun-dry again. Repeat piling and drying until completely dry. Those with fine skin, firm texture, and black interior are considered best. The yield per mu is 250 kg.