Detailed Explanation of Key Cultivation Techniques and Field Management Methods for Coptis chinensis
This article compilesCoptis chinensis'scultivation techniques, includingsite selection and land preparation，planting methodsandfield management, three aspects, as follows:
I.Site Selection and Land Preparation
1、Seedling nursery site Select a mixed bamboo and miscellaneous tree forest land with deep soil, loose and fertile, rich in humus, strong drainage, and good permeability. The soil should be slightly acidic to neutral. A gentle slope of no more than 30 degrees with oblique sunlight in the morning and evening is preferable. Avoid continuous cropping.
Wei coptis (Coptis chinensis): Before sowing, cut down bamboo, trees, weeds, and dead branches and leaves, burn them to ash for fertilizer. Plow 20 cm deep and harrow fine; if using cultivated land, apply 4000-6000 kg of barnyard manure and farmyard manure per mu during plowing; harrow fine. Then make raised beds 1-1.5 m wide.
Ya coptis (Coptis omeiensis): Open up wasteland in April-May. Keep tree trunks, branches, and bamboo for building shade frames. Burn dead branches and leaves as fertilizer. Make raised beds 1.3-1.7 m wide along the slope. Use stones picked from the ditches to build stone ridges at the lower end of the slope. Leave bamboo roots on the beds to prevent winter freezing from affecting survival and summer flood scouring that causes soil erosion.
Yun coptis (Coptis teeta): Mostly cultivated in forest areas, with 30% light transmittance being suitable. Burn dead branches and leaves on the ground as fertilizer. Plow about 25 cm deep and allow full weathering. Plow once more before planting, and apply 5000 kg of humus soil and 250 kg of plant ash per mu during plowing. Make beds according to the terrain, with bed width of about 1.3 m. Bed ditches should be straight to facilitate drainage. Terraces should be made on steep slopes.
2、Transplanting field site selection: Same as for seedling nursery.
Land preparation: (1) Planting coptis on virgin land. Clearing: In February-March of the planting year or September-October of the previous year, cut and clear all trees and weeds. Wood can be used for shade frame materials. Soil smoking: On a sunny day, dig up the 7-10 cm surface humus soil, mix soil clods with fallen leaves and weeds, ignite and burn, maintain smoldering smoke, and add soil whenever open flames appear. After several days, when the fire is out and the soil is cool, turn the pile. If the humus layer is thick, only loosen the surface humus soil without smoking, which is called "local soil coptis planting"; Plowing: Plow deep to the limit of the undisturbed subsoil layer. If tree roots or perennial weeds are encountered, they must be thoroughly removed, harrowed fine and leveled; Making beds: Generally, the bed width is determined by the distance between stakes minus the ditch width. Use horizontal stakes at the middle of the bed to make beds. The ditch width is generally no less than 33 cm, with a depth of about 15 cm. Cross ditches should be opened at both ends of each bed for drainage. Spreading soil: Spread the smoked soil or humus soil on the beds to a thickness of 15-20 cm. Before planting, harrow the smoked soil fine, remove grass roots and stones, and shape the bed surface into an arched form. (2) Planting coptis in forest areas. Site selection is the same as for seedling nursery. Land preparation is the same as for planting on virgin land. Beds can be made according to local conditions, and smoked soil, humus soil, or original soil can be used for planting. (3) Planting coptis on cultivated land. Before land preparation, apply 4000-6000 kg of barnyard manure or compost per mu, plow 20 cm deep, harrow fine and make beds. The method is the same as for planting on virgin land.
II.Planting Methods
1、Seed collection Seeds produced in the 4th year after transplanting are large in quantity (about 10 kg per mu), plump and full, with high germination rate, and are most suitable as seeds. Around the Beginning of Summer, when the fruit turns yellow-green and cracks appear, and the seeds turn yellow-green, harvest on a sunny day. After harvesting, wait 2-3 days for the fruits to fully crack, then shake out the seeds. Spread them indoors in a moist place at a thickness of about 1 cm, and turn them once daily to prevent heating and molding. They can generally be stored for about half a month. If storing for a longer period, dig a pit outdoors under trees in a suitable humidity location, or choose a suitable cave. Mix the seeds with 3-5 times their volume of fine sand or sandy humus soil (25-30% moisture content), spread out at a thickness of about 1-2 cm, and cover with a thin layer of wet sand or humus soil. Seal the cave entrance, leaving a small gap for ventilation. Check regularly, and sprinkle water if humidity is insufficient.
2、Shade frame construction for seedling nursery: Generally, for summer sowing, build the shade frame in autumn; for autumn sowing, build the shade frame after land preparation. For 2-year seedling cultivation, a low frame of 60-70 cm can be built. Shrub branches, bamboo, etc. are mostly used as frame materials. The covering material should not be too dense. One frame per bed.
Sowing: Sow in October-November. Sowing rate is 2.5-3 kg per mu. Before sowing, mix seeds with 20-30 times their volume of fine humus soil, broadcast evenly on the bed surface according to the rate, press lightly after sowing, and cover with fine soil. In arid areas in winter, cover with a layer of fallen grass after sowing to maintain soil moisture. After thawing the following spring, remove the covering grass to facilitate seedling emergence. Summer sowing is rarely adopted.
3、Transplanting Use solid and durable materials to build shade frames. For planting coptis on virgin land, build the frame after felling the forest; for planting on cultivated land, build the frame before land preparation. There are two types of coptis shade frames: tall frames and low frames. Tall frames use trees felled during forest clearing as frame materials, with a height of about 2 m and 60-70% shading density inside the frame, with uniform spacing. Then attach fencing around, requiring firmness and a gate. During the growing period, if the frame cover is damaged or unevenly dense, repair and adjust promptly. Low frames are about 1 m high, mostly using shrubs, bamboo, etc. One frame per bed.
Ya coptis shade frames are built after land preparation, generally using materials cut during wasteland clearing. A light transmittance of 40% is generally suitable. Transplanting can be done in spring, summer, or autumn. Spring planting in February-March gives a high survival rate and is the best period. Select healthy 2-year-old seedlings, pull them out on a sunny day or after rain, shake off the soil, and cut off excessively long fibrous roots 1 cm from the rhizome. Those not planted the same day should be piled in a shady and moist place, soaked with water the next day before use. Ya coptis is propagated by stem cuttings from stolons 3-5 years after transplanting. Those with more than 3 leaves, large and plump buds, and thick stems are preferred.
Yun coptisis mostly propagated by stem cuttings from above-ground stems of plants transplanted for 2-3 years. Planting method: Choose a cloudy or sunny day for planting. Avoid planting on rainy days. Generally, both row spacing and plant spacing are 10 cm, with 55,000-60,000 seedlings planted per mu. Seedlings should not be planted too shallow; generally, suitable seedlings should have everything below the leaves completely buried in soil, with a maximum depth not exceeding 6 cm.
Ya coptis, preferably planted around the Beginning of Autumn (early August). Row spacing 10 cm, plant spacing 10-13 cm, with buds buried 3 cm into the soil. Buds must not be damaged during planting. Plant 50,000-60,000 seedlings per mu. After planting, spread the frame covering material on the bed surface, and put up the frame after the snow melts the following year.
Yun coptis, preferably planted in spring. Autumn planting is done in August. The planting depth should be such that the leaves are not buried in soil, and bending must be avoided. Row spacing 12-16 cm, plant spacing about 6.6 cm, with about 30,000 seedlings planted per mu.
III.Field Management
1、Replanting In the first 3 years after planting, replant promptly. Generally replant twice: the first time in autumn of the same year, and the second time after the snow melts the following year before new leaves emerge.