Detailed Explanation of Disease and Pest Control Techniques and Methods for Coptis chinensis

Coptis chinensisThe main diseases ofpowdery mildew、anthracnose、Southern blight、pestsare mainlyslugs, below is an introduction to theirdiseases and pestssymptoms andcontrol methods。

I. Diseases

Powdery mildew: Caused by one type of ascomycete fungus. It occurs in late May, and is more severe in June-July. It mainly damages the leaves.

Control methods: Implement crop rotation; spray with 80 units of Qingfengmycin 2-3 times; or spray with 50% or 70% thiophanate-methyl 1000-1500 times dilution 3-4 times. Apply once at the initial stage of occurrence, and 2-3 times at the late stage of occurrence.

Powdery mildew of Coptis chinensis (leaves)

Powdery mildew of Coptis chinensis (fruit) 

Anthracnose: Occurs in early May, and is severe from mid-May to early June. It damages the leaf margins, showing elliptical water-soaked spots. Control methods: Implement crop rotation; for seedbeds and 1-year-old seedlings, use 1:1:100-150 Bordeaux mixture or 800 times dilution of amobam plus 0.2% laundry powder, applying 3-4 times at the initial and peak stages of occurrence. Yalian is more severely affected in mountainous areas below 1900 m altitude. On diseased leaves, oil-soaked small spots appear, gradually expanding into lesions, with dark red edges and grayish-white centers, sometimes forming holes, and red lesions occur at the base of the petiole. In severe cases, the leaves wither, and although the plant does not die, its growth and development are affected.

Control methods: Adopt mutual exchange cultivation of seedlings between high mountains and low mountains; frequently remove weeds and pay attention to drainage; before onset, choose a sunny day to spray with 1:1:200 Bordeaux mixture or 65% amobam-zinc wettable powder 800 times dilution.

Symptoms of anthracnose of Coptis chinensis (acute)

Southern blight: Occurs in early June, and is more damaging from late June to mid-July.

Control methods: Implement crop rotation; select disease-free plants as seeds, and before planting soak the seedling roots in 50% thiram 1000 times dilution for 3-5 minutes; during land preparation, use 1.5-2.5 kg of quintozene per mu for soil disinfection; dig out diseased plants and diseased soil, disinfect with lime, then pour 50% thiram 500 times dilution plus 5% lime and 0.2% urea around healthy plants near diseased plants to prevent spread.

Southern blight of Coptis chinensis

II. Pests

The main pest is the slug, which damages from March to November, biting and eating tender leaves in the morning and evening, and can even eat them all. Control methods: Turn over and sun-dry the soil in winter; before planting, use 40-50 kg of rapeseed cake per mu as base fertilizer; during the occurrence period, scatter lime powder on the bed surface or spray 3% lime water; or use poisoned bait to trap and kill them.

III. Rodent damage

Moles damage Coptis chinensis roots and are found in all 4 seasons of the year. Control methods: Manual capture; or use poisoned bait to trap and kill them.

(For more knowledge about diseases and pests of traditional Chinese medicines, please follow the medicinal material planting section in the knowledge column of Kangmei Traditional Chinese Medicine Network)