Four Key Links to Note in High-Yield Cultivation of Gastrodia elata

Gastrodia elataFour Main Links to Note in High-Yield Cultivation

I. Production requirements for Gastrodia elata seeds.

Select high-quality wild "arrow hemp" from Fanjing and sow it from mid-February to late February. Indoors, sow at a spacing of 25×25 cm in a box filled with disinfected river sand and mud (the box is 4 m long, 1 m wide, and 0.2 m thick, built with bricks). After 30 days of dormancy, it emerges from the soil in 20 days, grows stems and moss, buds and blooms. From 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, carry out cross-pollination between different plants and different flowers according to the operating procedure. After the seeds mature, they should be immediately sown with germination-promoting fungus (because Gastrodia elata seeds have no endosperm to store nutrients). Sow 10 capsules per 0.5 kg of germination-promoting fungus.

II. Selection of the production zone.

Choose a slightly acidic soil zone at an altitude between 850-1800 m.

III. Technique for making fungal wood.

From late August to mid-September, use broadleaf tree wood or corn cobs and cut them into lengths of 50-60 cm. Cut a fish-scale notch every 3-5 cm, deep enough to reach the wood, cut two rows, and sun-dry for 2 days. Then build a bed (60 cm deep, 100 cm wide, 200 cm long). Loosen the bottom of the bed and spread about 5 cm of sandy loam soil (to make it loose, air-permeable, and well-drained). Then lay the wood flat (fish scales facing up or to the side). Buy high-quality Armillaria mellea production spawn and sow it at the fish-scale notches. Fill the gaps with humus soil, cover with 2-3 cm of fine humus soil. In the same way, lay a second layer and a third layer flat, and cover the top layer with 10 cm of humus soil. Then cover with wood chips or leaves to keep warm, and make drainage ditches and ridges.

IV. Specific cultivation points for Gastrodia elata

1. Timely planting. This is one of the keys to increasing yield. Planting during the dormant period (November to February of the following year) is suitable and gives the highest yield. Note: (1) Do not plant below 0°C. (2) Accurately grasp the best period for the dormant period of Gastrodia elata and the growth of Armillaria mellea, so that after Gastrodia elata awakens it can obtain nutrients from Armillaria mellea.

2. Selection of hemp seeds and seeding rate. You must choose sexual Gastrodia elata seeds that are fresh, free of pests and diseases, and free of wounds, namely zero-generation or 1-2 generation high-quality white hemp, with rice hemp used as seed. The seeding rate requires about 500 g of large white hemp per square meter (or 300 g of small white hemp, or about 200 g of rice hemp).

3. Amount of fungal wood used. 20-30 kg per square meter (single layer).

4. Land preparation and box cultivation. Use high boxes on flat land and low boxes on sloped land, with specifications of 1000×1000×20 cm. After building, spread 3 cm of sandy loam soil, then place the cultured fungal sticks and wood in a 1:1 ratio, arranged in parallel at 5-18 cm intervals. (Note: 15-18 cm for large rice hemp, 10-15 cm for medium rice hemp, 5-8 cm for rice hemp.) Put humus broadleaf branches on top, fill half the ditch with filling material, then place the hemp seeds close to the fungal sticks (this helps Gastrodia elata connect with Armillaria mellea in time) and place them in the same direction (Gastrodia elata growth always extends forward in a fan-shaped growth space). After placing, use humus soil as filling material, cover with 10-15 cm, cover with dead branches and fallen leaves or grass, and then tidy the edge ditches.

Precautions: (1) Do not use lime for disinfection, as it increases soil alkalinity and inhibits the growth of Armillaria mellea. (2) The cultivation site must not be continuously cropped; the cultivation site should be rotated (the secretions of Armillaria mellea will inhibit the growth of Gastrodia elata, and too many miscellaneous fungi will cause infection and deterioration of Gastrodia elata). (3) Do not apply any hormones (chemical fertilizers, sugars) or other pesticides. For insect damage, use mechanical capture, which is conducive to the requirements of modern Chinese medicine development.

V. Harvesting and processing. Harvesting Gastrodia elata during the dormant period gives high medicinal efficacy. For sexual reproduction, harvest at the end of October of the second year. Handle gently to avoid rotting after planting due to bruising of the Gastrodia elata tubers. Box seeds and commercial hemp separately. Rice hemp and white hemp can be sown immediately or stored and sown in late February of the following spring. Arrow hemp should be graded for processing. During processing, keep the sizes uniform. Wash clean with clear water and dry in a drying box at 70-80°C. Never use sulfur fumigation or fresh steaming, as this affects the gastrodin content and quality.