What are the growing conditions for Astragalus membranaceus? A detailed explanation of environmental requirements

Astragalus membranaceus is a famous traditional Chinese medicinal herb in China and an important export commodity. There are more than 200 kinds of Chinese patent medicines that use Astragalus membranaceus as a raw material. As the range of its medical and health care uses continues to expand, the demand for Astragalus membranaceus keeps increasing. Developing Astragalus membranaceus production has good market prospects. Let us take a look below at the growing conditions and growing benefits of Astragalus membranaceus!

Growing conditions for Astragalus membranaceus

Astragalus membranaceus prefers cool conditions, is cold-resistant and drought-resistant, and fears heat and waterlogging. It is suitable for planting in sandy loam with deep soil layers, rich in humus, and strong water permeability. Strongly saline-alkali land is not suitable for planting. In the year of direct sowing, it only grows stems and leaves and does not bloom. It blooms, sets seed, and can produce seeds only in the second year. All provinces and regions in Northeast China, Northwest China, and North China are suitable for growing Astragalus membranaceus.

Astragalus membranaceus is a deep-rooted crop, so choose neutral or slightly acidic sandy loam with deep soil layers, loose and fertile soil, good drainage, and a sunny, high, and dry location. In sticky, heavy soil, the roots grow slowly and become deformed. In thin soil layers, the roots tend to grow horizontally with many branches, forming a “chicken-claw shape” and resulting in poor quality. Flat land or sunny hillsides can both be used for planting. The previous crop is best a grass-family crop. Continuous cropping should be avoided, and it should not be rotated with potato or flax.

Planting time for Astragalus membranaceus

1. Seed treatment: Astragalus membranaceus seeds have hard seed characteristics, so they must be treated before sowing. The methods are as follows.

① Sulfuric acid treatment: Treating fully mature hard Astragalus membranaceus seeds with concentrated sulfuric acid gives a germination rate of more than 90%, about 50% higher than untreated seeds. Use 5 milliliters of 90% sulfuric acid per gram, treat the seeds for 2 minutes at 30°C, and then rinse the seeds clean with water.

② Mechanical treatment: Both sand grinding and soaking seeds in warm water can increase the germination rate of hard Astragalus membranaceus seeds. In production, soaking seeds in warm water combined with sand grinding is more feasible.

2. Sowing time: Astragalus membranaceus can be sown in spring, summer, and autumn. Spring sowing is done around the “Qingming” solar term, no later than the “Guyu” solar term. Keep the soil moist, and seedlings emerge in about 15 days. Summer sowing is done in June to July, and seedlings emerge 7 to 8 days after sowing. Autumn sowing is generally done around the “Bailu” solar term, with new seeds given low-temperature treatment, and protection from freezing damage in winter.

3. Sowing method: Astragalus membranaceus is usually sown in rows, with a row spacing of about 20 cm and a furrow depth of 3 cm, using 2 to 2.5 kg of seed per mu. When sowing, mix the seeds with methamidophos or pyrethroid pesticides to prevent underground pests. After sowing, cover with soil and press down. Apply 8 to 10 kg of diammonium phosphate and 5 to 7 kg of potassium sulfate per mu as base fertilizer. From sowing to seedling emergence, keep the ground moist or add mulch to promote emergence. Hole sowing and broadcast sowing can also be used.

Growing benefits of Astragalus membranaceus

1. Each mu of land needs 5 kg of good Astragalus membranaceus seedlings. The current market price of good Astragalus membranaceus seedlings is 100 yuan per kg, so 5 kg × 100 yuan = 500 yuan.

2. Local land is mostly mountainous, and plowing one mu of land costs 100 yuan.

3. Planting one mu of land requires one day of manual planting. Each person's wage is 40 yuan, so 3 people × 40 yuan = 120 yuan.

4. The growth cycle is 9 months, and weeding requires 5 labor-hours. Each labor-hour costs 40 yuan, so 5 people × 40 yuan = 200 yuan.

5. Each mu requires 1 bag of chemical fertilizer, and each bag costs 120 yuan.

6. The autumn harvest is in October, and each mu requires 12 people to dig for one day. Each person's wage is 40 yuan, so 12 people × 40 yuan = 480 yuan.

7. The total planting cost for one mu of Astragalus membranaceus is 1520 yuan.

8. At the autumn harvest, the average yield of Astragalus membranaceus is 1500 jin of fresh product per mu. The average selling price per market jin of fresh product is 3 yuan, so 1500 jin × 3 yuan = 4500 yuan.

9. Income minus cost: income 4500 yuan - planting cost 1520 yuan. The income per mu of Astragalus membranaceus is about 2980 yuan.

10. About 5.5 market jin of fresh Astragalus membranaceus makes 1 kg dried. After drying, 1500 jin of fresh product is about 270 kg. At a market selling price of 20 yuan per kg, 270 kg of dried product x 20 yuan per kg - planting cost 1520 yuan = 3880 yuan.