Detailed Explanation of the Key Points of Vaccaria Seed Cultivation Techniques
Vaccaria seed, also known as Wangbuliuxing, cowherb, etc., is the dried seed of the Caryophyllaceae plant Vaccaria hispanica. Medicinally, it has the functions of activating blood and promoting menstruation, reducing swelling and relieving pain, and promoting labor and lactation. It mostly grows wild in wastelands and roadsides. It is drought-tolerant and barren-tolerant, and can also grow together with wheat. Its adaptability is extremely strong, and its yield per mu is stable between 150 and 300 kg. Now let us take a look at the cultivation techniques of vaccaria seed!
Growth Habits of Vaccaria Seed
Vaccaria seed prefers a warm climate and has no strict requirements for soil. It avoids waterlogging. If planted in low-lying, water-accumulating areas, the roots are prone to rot during the rainy season, the aboveground part gradually turns yellow and dies, and in severe cases there may even be no harvest at all. In overly dry areas, the plants grow short and the yield is very low. It grows in fields, roadsides, and wastelands, and is most common in wheat fields. In China, it is distributed in Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning, Hebei, Henan, Shanxi, Shandong, Jiangsu, Anhui, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Hunan, Hubei, Shaanxi, Gansu, **, Yunnan, Sichuan, and other places.
Sowing Techniques of Vaccaria Seed
1. Seed selection before sowing: Vaccaria seed is usually propagated by seed. When selecting, choose plump, glossy, black, mature seeds, dry them in the sun, and store them. The sowing time should be set from mid-to-late September to early October after the autumn crops are harvested. In northern regions, sow in mid-April, and spring sowing with summer harvest is also possible.
2. Land selection and preparation: For vaccaria seed cultivation, choose gentle mountain slopes and well-drained sandy loam and clay loam. After the land is selected, apply decomposed base fertilizer in combination with autumn plowing, 3000-4000 kg per mu. If 20-30 kg of superphosphate is also applied, seed yield can be increased.
3. Sowing methods: Vaccaria seed can be sown in hills or in drills. For hill sowing, on the prepared seedbed, dig holes at a row and plant spacing of 25×20 cm, with a hole depth of 3-5 cm. Then, at a seeding rate of 1 kg per mu, mix the seeds evenly with plant ash and human and livestock manure water to make seed ash, sprinkle a small pinch evenly into each hole, and after sowing cover with fine fertile soil 1-2 cm thick. For drill sowing, open shallow furrows at a row spacing of 25-30 cm, with a furrow depth of about 3 cm, then evenly scatter the seed ash into the furrows, and after sowing cover with fine soil 1.5-2 cm. The seeding rate is about 1.5 kg per mu.
Cultivation Techniques of Vaccaria Seed
1. Intertillage and weeding: When the vaccaria seed seedlings are 7-10 cm tall, carry out the first intertillage and weeding. It is advisable to loosen the soil shallowly to avoid damaging the roots, and weeds should be pulled out by hand. In combination with intertillage and weeding, carry out thinning and replanting, leaving 4-5 strong seedlings per hole. For drill sowing, thin seedlings at a plant spacing of 15 cm. If there are missing plants, use the strong seedlings from thinning to replant. The second intertillage and weeding is carried out in spring of the second year in February-March in combination with final thinning.
2. Timely topdressing: Vaccaria seed is generally topdressed 2-3 times. The first time is when the seedlings are 7-10 cm tall, after intertillage and weeding, apply 1500 kg of dilute human and livestock manure water or 5 kg of urea per mu. After intertillage and weeding in spring of the second year, apply 2000 kg of thicker human and livestock manure water and 20 kg of superphosphate per mu, or spray 0.2% potassium dihydrogen phosphate solution as foliar topdressing 1-2 times, which is beneficial for increasing yield.
3. Disease and pest control: For vaccaria seed leaf spot disease, increase the application of phosphorus and potassium fertilizers, or spray 0.2% potassium dihydrogen phosphate solution on the leaves to enhance the plants' disease resistance. At the early stage of disease onset, spray 65% zineb 500-600 times solution, or 50% carbendazim 800-1000 times solution, or 1:1:100 Bordeaux mixture, once every 7-10 days, for 2-3 consecutive sprays. Fruit borers damage the fruit as larvae; spray with 90% trichlorfon 1000 times solution or 80% dichlorvos 1000 times solution to kill them.
4. Harvesting and processing: Vaccaria seed is harvested in April-May of the second year after autumn sowing. Generally, when most of the seeds have turned yellow-brown and a few have turned black, the aboveground part should be cut down promptly at ground level. If harvesting is too late, the seeds are likely to shatter and are difficult to collect. After cutting, place in a ventilated and dry place to after-ripen for 5-7 days. When all the seeds have turned black, dry them in the sun, thresh, winnow away impurities, and then sun-dry until completely dry to obtain the commercial product. If intercropped with wheat, it can be harvested together with the wheat.