Detailed Explanation of Mustard Tuber Planting Techniques and Management Methods
Mustard tuber is a commonly cultivated vegetable across the country, with autumn sowing being the main practice in both north and south. In the Yangtze River Basin as well as various regions of the southwest and south China, it is harvested in winter or the following spring, while in the north it is harvested before frost. Leaf mustard, which is grown for consumption as young plants, can be spring-sown or summer-sown in the south. It has high cultivation value. Let us take a look at mustard tuber planting techniques below!
Growth Habits of Mustard Tuber
Mustard tuber generally has a short growth period of 50 to 60 days. It prefers a cool and humid climate, is not tolerant of frost, and is also not tolerant of intense heat. Above 25°C, growth becomes slow and quality poor, especially for large heading-type mustard varieties. As a shallow-rooted crop, its roots penetrate shallowly into the soil and have poor drought and waterlogging resistance. Soil that is too warm or too dry is bad for growth. Nitrogen nutrients are the main requirement, with the ratio of the two being about 1:1. It also likes calcium and boron; if supply is insufficient, various disorders will appear. The needed nitrogen is best obtained from ordinary nitrogen fertilizer converted by soil bacteria. Keep the soil loose, and do not let it become waterlogged; at the same time, low temperatures inhibit these bacteria.
Seedling Raising Techniques for Mustard Tuber
1. Seed selection: After purchasing mustard seeds, they should first be carefully selected. Aside from removing mixed impurities, plump seeds should be chosen. Because mustard seeds are small, they are generally sorted by washing with water. That is, soak the seeds in water and stir continuously, remove the shriveled seeds and debris, and the ones that sink to the bottom are the plump seeds.
2. Sun-drying and disinfection: After the mustard seeds are selected by water, immediately spread them out under the sun to reduce their internal moisture content, stirring from time to time so that all seeds can evenly receive sunlight, promote their internal material transformation, end dormancy, increase the germination rate, and make emergence more uniform. For disinfection, use fungicides such as a carbendazim solution to soak the seeds for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring continuously so that all seeds fully contact the solution and the pathogens are killed.
4. Seed soaking and germination promotion: Mustard seeds absorbing enough water helps internal material transformation and softens the seed coat to promote sprouting. Soak in warm water for 3 to 4 hours. At this time, a foliar fertilizer with comprehensive nutrients can be added for absorption, to increase nutrition, increase the germination rate, and help produce strong seedlings. For seed germination, besides air and moisture, temperature is also needed. Therefore, place the soaked seeds in an environment of 25 to 30°C to ensure early and uniform sprouting, which helps with management during the seedling stage.
Planting Techniques for Mustard Tuber
1. Transplanting technique: Mustard tuber has a wide adaptability to soil, but for heading mustard to achieve high yield, sandy loam with rice as the previous crop should be selected, sufficient base fertilizer should be applied, holes should be dug for transplanting, and two rows should be planted with a plant spacing of 40 cm to 50 cm. Later-maturing varieties should be appropriately spaced more thinly. Mustard roots develop slowly, so when transplanting, carry as much soil as possible and avoid damaging the roots, and make sure the roots do not bend when entering the soil, so as to improve the survival rate.
2. Rational fertilization: Mustard generally emerges 3 to 4 days after autumn sowing, and spring-sown mustard generally emerges 6 to 15 days after sowing. When mustard seedlings have 2 true leaves, carry out the first topdressing, applying 1000 kg of 0.3% urea solution per mu. The second topdressing is carried out 7 to 10 days before harvest, and thereafter topdress once after each harvest.
3. Watering and weeding: Mustard seeds are small and easily affected by soil moisture. Before emergence, pay attention to watering to maintain moisture, and the best watering time is morning and evening. Grasp the principle of light watering and frequent watering, and do not soak through all at once. Mustard plants are short, and broadcast sowing is usually used. Weeds and mustard grow mixed together, making weeding relatively difficult and labor-intensive, so weeds should be pulled out in combination with harvesting.
4. Pest and disease control: Mustard has few infectious diseases. The main one on leaf mustard is viral disease, mostly occurring during the hot and dry seedling period and the early growth stage after transplanting, spread by aphids. For thorough control, spray once every 7 to 10 days, and at the same time water promptly to keep the soil moist and lower the temperature, which is also very useful. Besides aphid damage, there are also striped flea beetles, which mainly harm the roots of mustard; spray pesticides such as phoxim in time.
5. Timely harvesting: Mustard is harvested in stages. Each harvest should take the large plants and leave the small ones, and the remaining plants should be even and appropriate. For early autumn-sown shepherd's purse, harvest when there are 10 to 13 true leaves, 30 to 35 days after sowing, then harvest in stages 4 to 5 times, ending in late March of the following year, with a total yield per mu of 2500 to 3000 kg. Autumn shepherd's purse sown in early October requires 45 to 60 days before harvesting can begin. Shepherd's purse sown in late February is harvested and marketed in early April. Spring sowing generally allows 1 to 2 harvests, with a yield per mu of about 1000 kg.