Detailed Explanation of the Technical Specification for Pollution-Free Pesticide Use in Spinach

1. Cultivating Strong Seedlings Free of Pests and Diseases

(1) Seed selection: It is advisable to select improved spinach varieties with high yield and good quality, resistance to pests and diseases, strong stress resistance, wide adaptability, and good productivity. Seed quality shall meet the requirements for improved varieties or above in GB8079-1987. The use of genetically modified spinach varieties is rejected.

(2) Seed treatment: Spinach seeds are utricles; the outer layer of the pericarp is parenchyma tissue, which allows air and water to pass through, while the inner layer is corky sclerenchyma tissue, which is relatively hard and not easily permeable to water, so germination is slow, especially when sown at high or low temperatures. Spinach is mostly sown by direct seeding. When sowing during the dog days, the pericarp can be broken with a wooden mortar and the seeds then soaked to promote germination, or the seeds can be soaked in cool water for 10-12 hours, then spread in a cellar or hung above the water surface in a well to promote germination. When sowing at low temperatures, warm water should be used for soaking the seeds, and they should be placed at 15-20°C to promote germination.

2. Pest and Disease Control After Sowing

Spinach is a typical leafy green vegetable and also a typical nitrate-loving vegetable, but in order to ensure the quality of leafy spinach, reduce nitrate pollution, and lower the accumulation of nitrate in the leaves, attention should be paid to the combined application of NPK fertilizers and to reducing the amount of N fertilizer.