Detailed Explanation of Key Techniques for High-Yield Cultivation of Arisaema

Arisaema is used medicinally for its spherical tubers, which have the functions of dispelling wind and calming convulsions, and resolving phlegm and dissipating nodules. It mainly treats facial nerve paralysis, hemiplegia, infantile convulsions, tetanus, epilepsy, cervical cancer and other conditions. For external use, it can treat sores, swellings and toxicities, and poisonous mosquito bites. Raw Arisaema is toxic; when poisoning occurs, it can cause itching and subsequent swelling of the tongue and throat, and in severe cases can lead to suffocation and death; in mild cases, vinegar, strong tea or egg white can be used as an antidote. In recent years, due to scarce wild resources, high demand and limited artificial cultivation, it has remained one of the sought-after Chinese medicinal materials. Based on the characteristic that Arisaema prefers shady and moist environments, we conducted planting trials and practices of Arisaema in orchards and achieved good economic benefits, with a yield of about 250 kg of dried product per mu. The cultivation techniques are as follows.

I. Land Selection and Preparation

Select an orchard with shade, and the soil should preferably be loose, fertile, well-drained sandy soil or humus loam. Low-lying plots with poor drainage are not suitable for planting. In autumn, plow the soil deeply 20 cm to 25 cm, and during land preparation apply 3000 kg to 5000 kg of decomposed stable manure or compost per mu as base fertilizer. Before planting, shallow plow once more, then break up the soil finely and rake it level to make high beds or flat beds 1.2 m wide, with drainage ditches dug around them, and the bed surface shaped like a turtle shell.

II. Raising Strong Seedlings

Arisaema can be propagated by tubers and seeds. Seed propagation takes a long time to grow and yields less, so tuber propagation is generally used in production.

1. Tuber propagation: In autumn, select medium and small tubers that are robust, intact and free from pests and diseases, dry them and store them in a cellar for use as seed. The cellar should be about 1.5 m deep, with its size determined by the amount of seed, and the temperature inside the cellar should be kept at 5°C to 10°C. From late March to early April, on the prepared bed surface, dig holes at a row spacing of 20 cm to 25 cm and a plant spacing of 14 cm to 16 cm, with a hole depth of 4 cm to 6 cm. When planting, place the buds upward and cover with soil after planting. Small tubers should be covered with shallow soil, while large tubers should be covered with deeper soil. If the weather is dry, water once thoroughly. Large tubers used as seed tubers can be cut lengthwise into two halves or several pieces; as long as each piece has one robust bud, it can be used for planting. After cutting, immediately mix the wounds with plant ash to avoid rotting. About 45 kg of large seed tubers or 25 kg of small seed tubers are needed per mu.

2. Seed propagation: Arisaema seeds mature in early August and are harvested, then immediately sown in autumn. On the prepared seedling bed, dig shallow furrows at a row spacing of 15 cm to 20 cm, sow the seeds evenly into the furrows, and cover with soil level with the bed surface. After sowing, water once thoroughly and keep the seedling bed soil moist; seedlings will emerge in about 10 days. In winter, cover the bed surface with stable manure to keep it warm and moist, which helps the seedlings overwinter. When the seedlings are 6 cm to 9 cm tall, thin them to a plant spacing of 12 cm to 15 cm.

III. Transplanting

In April, when the seedlings are 6 cm to 9 cm tall, choose a cloudy day and transplant robust small seedlings with a little soil ball attached into the field at a row spacing of 20 cm × 15 cm, then water once after transplanting to settle the roots. IV. Field Management: When the seedlings are 6 cm to 9 cm tall, loosen the soil and remove weeds, just loosening the surface soil, then apply 1000 kg to 1500 kg of diluted human urine and manure per mu; in mid-to-late June, loosen the soil a little deeper and apply fertilizer once in combination, with the same amount as the previous application; in late July, which is the vigorous growth period of Arisaema, open furrows between the rows while removing weeds and loosening soil, and apply 1500 kg to 2000 kg of human urine and manure per mu, then cover with soil to cover the fertilizer; in late August, apply 10 kg to 20 kg of urea per mu or 50 kg of cake fertilizer plus an appropriate amount of phosphorus and potassium fertilizer. After planting, keep the soil moist, and pay attention to drainage during the rainy season. From May to June, except for individual plants retained for seed, flowers should be removed in time. V. Pest and Disease Control: 1. Viral disease: When the disease occurs, the leaves become mosaic-shaped or curled and wrinkled, the plants grow poorly, and the leaves wither and die.

Control methods: (1) Select disease-free individual plants for seed retention; (2) Apply more phosphorus and potassium fertilizer to enhance plant disease resistance; (3) Spray pesticides in time to eliminate virus-transmitting pests. 2. Red hawk moth: Its larvae damage the leaves, biting them into notches or holes, and in severe outbreaks from July to August they eat all the leaves. Control methods: (1) Spray 800-fold dilution of 90% trichlorfon during the young larval stage; (2) Avoid continuous cropping, and also avoid intercropping with medicinal plants of the same family such as Pinellia ternata and konjac.