Cultivation Techniques and Field Management Key Points for Astragalus complanatus
Cultivation Techniques for Astragalus complanatus
(I) Overview
Astragalus complanatusAlso known as Tongjili, Vine Milkvetch, Xiahuangcao, Shayuanjili. It is the plant Astragalus complanatus R.Brown (Asttagalus complanatus R.Brown) of the Leguminosae family, genus Astragalus, and its seeds are used as medicine. It has the effects of tonifying the liver and kidneys, securing essence, and improving eyesight. It mainly treats dizziness and blurred vision, soreness and weakness of the waist and knees, seminal emission, premature ejaculation, frequent urination, and enuresis. It is mainly produced in Jilin, Liaoning, Hebei, Shanxi, Inner Mongolia, Shaanxi, Gansu, Ningxia and other provinces. For developing the great Northwest and returning farmland to forest, planting trees and grass, it is one of the best varieties, with strong drought resistance, cold resistance, and adaptability. It was planted very successfully in the comprehensive management of the Loess Plateau during the "Seventh Five-Year Plan" and "Eighth Five-Year Plan," and it is also a commonly used clinical medicine.
(II) Plant Characteristics
Perennial herb, 30-100 cm tall, the whole plant covered with soft hairs. Root long and stout. Stem slightly flattened, relatively slender and weak, often prostrate at the base, branched. Odd-pinnate compound leaves alternate, stipules small, very needle-shaped; leaflets 9-21, oblong-elliptical, 0.6-1.4 cm long, 0.3-0.7 cm wide, apex rounded or slightly concave, with a small fine tip, petiolules inconspicuous. In summer it blooms small yellow papilionaceous flowers, racemes axillary, the common peduncle slender and long, with 3-9 flowers sparsely borne on the upper part, pedicels 0.1-0.2 cm long; corolla about 1 cm long, standard petal nearly circular, apex concave, base with a claw; diadelphous stamens shorter than the pistil, stigma with beard-like hairs. Pod inflated, spindle-shaped, about 3 cm long, apex with a pointed beak, surface covered with black stiff hairs, with a false septum inside. Seeds 20-30, round kidney-shaped, about 0.2 cm long, about 0.15 cm wide, less than 0.1 cm thick. Surface grayish-brown to dark brown, smooth. Both sides slightly concave, with an obvious hilum on the concave side.
(III) Growth Characteristics
Astragalus complanatus has very strong adaptability, prefers a ventilated and light-transmitting environment, is cold-resistant, drought-resistant, and afraid of waterlogging. It has no strict requirements for soil, and can be planted in sandy loam, loam, and clay loam. It is unsuitable for continuous cropping, and corn is the best preceding crop.
(IV) Cultivation Techniques
1. Land Selection and Preparation
Choose high and dry terrain, well-drained field edges, field ridges, and sloping mountain land; sandy loam, loam, and clay loam are all acceptable.
2. Propagation Methods
Astragalus complanatus is propagated by seeds. Sowing is divided into spring and autumn seasons. Spring sowing is from late March to late April, and autumn sowing is from August to September. Drill sowing is carried out in the prepared field, with a row spacing of 33 cm, drawing small furrows about 1.65 cm along the beds, evenly scattering the seeds into the furrows, covering with 0.6-1 cm of soil, and watering after sowing. There is also the method of irrigating and sowing: in non-irrigated land, after the water recedes, sow the seeds in rows and cover with shallow soil, or sow before or after rain. The sowing rate is 15-22.5 kg per hectare. At a temperature of about 15°C, germination can occur in 2 weeks.
Astragalus complanatus can also be intercropped with wheat, corn, and cotton. The method is: when sowing wheat, leave a 23.1 cm empty strip every 165 cm, interplant Astragalus complanatus in March-April of the following year, and plant corn after the wheat is harvested. After the corn is harvested, removing the stalks is beneficial to the growth of Astragalus complanatus.
3. Field Management
Water appropriately before emergence to promote seedling emergence. After emergence, do not water too much, to avoid excessive vegetative growth. When the seedlings are about 8 cm tall, thin to a plant spacing of 10-13.2 cm, keeping 2-3 strong seedlings, and immediately support the seedlings and earth up. Pay attention to drainage during the rainy season. During the growing period and bud stage, apply human feces and urine or ammonium sulfate 2 times in combination with loosening the soil and weeding. Thereafter, each year at the greening stage, apply 45000-60000 kg of barnyard manure per hectare, mixing manure with soil and covering it on the ground to promote plant greening and growth. In very cold places, water with freezing water before the soil freezes. After each harvest, cultivate and weed, and topdress for overwintering.
4. Pest and Disease Control
(1) Powdery mildew
Caused by fungal infection, damaging the leaves, with white powdery material on both sides, turning into small black spots at the late stage.
Control methods: Clean the garden, burn diseased plants, and at the early stage of the disease spray with 50% thiophanate-methyl 800-1000 times solution or 65% zineb 400 times solution, once every 7 days, for 2-3 consecutive times.
(2) Wireworm
Occurs from June to August, damaging the roots; apply lead phosphate by broadcasting for control.
(V) Harvesting and Processing
The seed yield of Astragalus complanatus is low in the first, third, and fourth years, and high in the second year. Before Frost's Descent, when 80% of the pod skins turn from green to yellow and fade, cut all the plants at 6.7 cm above the ground, dry them in the sun, thresh, and remove all impurities.