Detailed Explanation of Phellodendron Cultivation Techniques: Planting Methods and Management Points
1. Site Selection and Land Preparation
Phellodendronis a sun-loving tree species and can be planted in both mountainous areas and plains, but land with deep soil layers, easy drainage and irrigation, and rich humus content is preferable. Vacant land in front of and behind houses or beside roads and field edges can also be used for planting. Choose a plot with flat terrain, apply 4000-5000 kg of barnyard manure, deep plow 20-25 cm, rake fine and level, and make flat beds 1.3 m wide. Combine with greening and afforestation to plant Phellodendron.
2. Propagation Methods
(1) Seed propagation: Large-scale production of Phellodendron commonly uses the method of raising seedlings from seed and then transplanting.
1) Seed collection: Collect ripe fruits from October to November, pile them in a corner of a room and cover with straw. After 10-15 days, take them out, rub off the fruit skin, wash in water, take out the seeds, dry in the shade or sun, and store in a ventilated and dry place.
2) Sowing: Spring sowing and autumn sowing. In the south, spring sowing is generally in mid-to-early March; in Northeast China, from late April to late May; in North China, in late March. Spring sowing should be early rather than late. Before sowing, soak seeds in warm water at 40 degreesC for 24 hours, mix with wet sand and seeds at a ratio of 3:1, and stir well to promote germination. After the seeds crack, open shallow furrows and sow in rows, with row spacing of 25-30 cm, furrow depth of about 3 cm. After sowing, cover with soil, level with a rake and press lightly, then water. Use 2-3 kg of seed per mu. The bed surface can be covered with rice straw to keep the soil moist. Remove the covering before the seeds germinate and emerge. Seedlings emerge in 40-50 days. Autumn sowing is carried out from "Frost's Descent" to "Start of Winter" (November to December). Moisten the seeds 20 days before sowing until the seed coat becomes soft, then sow. Seedlings emerge in the following spring. Other management is the same as above.
3) Transplanting: After one year of growth, transplant when seedlings are 50-90 cm tall. If they are too small, they can grow for another year before transplanting. From after leaf fall in winter to before new buds sprout the following year, dig out the seedlings, trim off the excessively long lower part of the roots; they can also be dug out with soil. If for afforestation, dig holes at a row spacing of 3 m x 2 m, with 1 plant per hole. When filling the soil to half, gently lift the seedling upward so that the roots spread out, then fill the soil level, firm it, and water. They can also be planted beside ditches, roadsides, or behind houses. The planting method is the same as above.
(2) Root division propagation: During the dormant period, select tender roots about 1 cm in diameter, store them in a cellar until the following spring after the ground thaws, then dig them out, cut into segments 15-20 cm long, and insert them obliquely into the soil (they must not be exposed above the ground). Water after planting to promote sprouting. Transplant after one year, with the method the same as above.
3. Field Management
(1) Thinning and final singling: During the emergence period, keep the soil moist regularly. After emergence, when seedlings are 7-10 cm tall, leave 1 seedling every 3-4 cm. When seedlings are 17-20 cm tall, thin to a final spacing of 7-10 cm between plants. The principle is to remove the weak and keep the strong.
(2) Cultivation and weeding: From after sowing to before emergence, loosen the soil and weed once. From after emergence to before the rows close, cultivate and weed 2 times, so that the soil is loose and there are no weeds in the field.
(3) Topdressing: Generally, in seedling beds, in addition to applying sufficient base fertilizer, topdressing should also be applied 2-3 times. After each thinning or cultivation and weeding, apply 20 kg of diammonium phosphate per mu.
(4) Watering: After sowing, water regularly to keep the soil moist to facilitate germination. After emergence, if drought occurs, water in time and loosen the soil frequently.
(5) Management after planting: Within half a month after planting, keep the soil moist to increase the survival rate. Within 1-2 years, carry out cultivation and weeding in summer and autumn. Before winter, dig trenches around the trees and apply barnyard manure, 10-15 kg per tree. After 4 years, apply topdressing once every 2-3 years. After peeling the bark, apply fertilizer, water, and prune flowers in time to strengthen the tree's recovery.
(6) Pest and Disease Control
1) Rust disease: The pathogen is a type of imperfect fungus. It damages the leaves. In the early stage of the disease, yellow-green nearly round spots appear on the leaves, with inconspicuous small dots at the edges. In the later stage, orange-yellow raised small spots form on the underside of the leaves. It generally occurs in mid-May, and the damage is severe from June to July.
Control method: During the disease period, spray 0.2-0.3 degrees Baume lime-sulfur mixture, or use 25% triadimefon 700 times liquid, spraying once every 7-10 days, for 2-3 consecutive sprays.
2) Citrus swallowtail butterfly: The larvae damage the leaves and occur from May to August. Control method: Manually capture the larvae and use parasitic wasps to suppress the occurrence of the swallowtail butterfly. During the larval stage, spray 90% trichlorfon 800 times liquid, once every 5-7 days, for 2-3 consecutive times.
4. Selection and Breeding of Superior Varieties: Select Phellodendron species according to local climatic conditions. In northern regions, the seeds of the variety Guandong Phellodendron should be selected; in provinces south of the Yangtze River, try to introduce the tree species Chuan Phellodendron as much as possible, so as to suit the local climate and benefit growth.
[Harvesting and Processing]
Phellodendron can be harvested 15-20 years after planting. In May to June, when tree sap is abundant and the cambium is easy to peel, cut down the tree and peel the bark immediately, cut into 60 cm long sections for medicinal processing; thicker branch bark can also be used as medicine. Felling trees to obtain bark causes relatively great damage to resources. In recent years, the method of ring peeling with new bark regeneration technology has been adopted. In the season of vigorous summer growth, for trees over 10 years old with a diameter at breast height of 30-50 cm, use a grafting knife to make a ring cut at the upper and lower ends of the trunk respectively, then cut longitudinally along the trunk to connect the upper and lower ring cuts. The cutting depth should be controlled so as to cut through the bark without damaging the cambium, then pry up the bark with force and gently tear it off. Be careful not to use too much force, so as to avoid www.cyone.com.cn/ damaging the exposed trunk surface after peeling. During operation, do not let hands and tools touch the wound surface, so as not to affect the growth of new bark. The peeling length can be determined according to tree vigor, trunk length, and tree form. After peeling, quickly wrap with plastic film, with small branches or bamboo poles longer than the peeling length placed inside as a lining to prevent the film from sticking to the wound surface and to facilitate the growth of new bark. After 3-5 years, when the thickness of the new bark is basically the same as the original bark, it can be peeled again. For the peeled bark, scrape off the outer coarse bark while fresh, until yellow is revealed. Dry until half-dry, stack in layers, press flat, and then dry in the sun. It can then be used as medicine.
Those that are dry, bright yellow, with the coarse bark completely removed, and thick bark are considered superior.