Detailed Guide to Peucedanum praeruptorum Cultivation: From Sowing to Field Management
Peucedanum praeruptorum is a commonly used traditional Chinese medicinal herb. It is a perennial herbaceous plant of the genus Peucedanum in the Apiaceae family, divided into two types: white-flowered Peucedanum praeruptorum and purple-flowered Peucedanum praeruptorum, both of which are used medicinally for their roots. It is mainly distributed in Zhejiang, Guizhou, Hunan, Sichuan, Jiangsu, Anhui and other places, mostly growing wild with only a small amount cultivated, so its cultivation potential is great. Let us take a look at the cultivation techniques for Peucedanum praeruptorum!
Growth Habits of Peucedanum praeruptorum
Peucedanum praeruptorum prefers a cool and humid climate. The best soil is deep, loose, fertile sandy loam. In flat dam areas with high temperatures of long duration, as well as in overly shaded and poorly drained places, it grows poorly and is prone to root rot. Heavy clayey yellow soil and dry, barren river sand soil are not suitable for planting. Peucedanum praeruptorum is a perennial root plant. The overwintering roots sprout in early March, emerge in mid-March, enter the peak vegetative growth period in April to May, begin bolting and budding in late May, reach peak flowering in June to July, and mature fruit in August to September. Seedlings propagated in the current year have a longer growth period than overwintering plants.
Cultivation Techniques for Peucedanum praeruptorum
1. Seed collection: Peucedanum praeruptorum seeds have a high germination rate and can be propagated by seed, seedling transplanting, or direct sowing. The fruit generally matures from September to October. When the fruit turns yellowish-white, cut it off with scissors together with the flower stalk, place it indoors for a period of after-ripening, then rub off the fruit, remove impurities, dry in the shade and store for later use.
2. Site selection and land preparation: Choose flat land or sloping land with ample sunlight and moist but non-waterlogged soil for planting. It is best to remove the dried remains of previous crops and weeds from the ground in the winter of the previous year, spread them on the ground and burn them, then deep-plow the land and let it overwinter. In February of the following year, apply decomposed pig and cattle manure, then plow the soil once more, remove weeds, and rake it fine and level.
3. Timely sowing
① Winter sowing: The best time for sowing is from early November to late January of the following year. Because Peucedanum praeruptorum seeds germinate slowly (under relatively good weather conditions, germination takes more than 30 days), sowing is generally completed before the end of the year. Spread the seeds evenly over the seedbed surface, then gently sweep flat with a bamboo broom so that the seeds fully combine with the soil. The sowing rate for clean, impurity-free seeds is 3 kg per mu.
② Spring sowing: Sow in early March, either by hole sowing or drill sowing. Open holes on the seedbed at a spacing of 8 cun square, with a depth of about 1 cun. Mix the seeds with burnt soil ash and sow evenly into the holes, then cover with a layer of soil or plant ash until the seeds are no longer visible. Finally, cover with grass to preserve moisture and promote uniform emergence, and remove it when germination occurs. The seeding rate is 2 to 3 kg per mu.
Field Management of Peucedanum praeruptorum
1. Pre-sowing weed control: Chemical weed control should mainly rely on soil application before sowing, aiming to ensure that a single application keeps the entire growth period free from weed damage. From 5 to 10 days before sowing, before weeds sprout, apply 80 to 100 milliliters of 48% trifluralin emulsifiable concentrate per mu diluted in 40 to 50 kg of water, and spray evenly on the soil surface.
2. Pre-emergence weed control: Peucedanum praeruptorum emerges more than 15 days after sowing. Therefore, when weeds have turned green but Peucedanum praeruptorum has not yet emerged, spray the field with 150 to 250 milliliters of 20% paraquat aqueous solution diluted in 25 to 30 kg of water. Alternatively, 150 to 200 milliliters of 41% Roundup or glyphosate aqueous solution diluted in 30 to 40 kg of water can be used for spraying. After Peucedanum praeruptorum emerges, these herbicides must never be used for weed control, to avoid killing the medicinal seedlings. According to test results, spraying should be done within 14 days.
3. Cultivation and weed control: Cultivation and weeding are generally carried out before the rows close. The depth of cultivation depends on the growth of the underground part. During the seedling stage, the medicinal plant is small and weeds tend to grow rampantly, so weeding should be done frequently. After the plants grow luxuriantly, hoeing should not be used to remove weeds, to avoid damaging the plants. Manual pulling of weeds can be used, but it is time-consuming and labor-intensive.
4. Reasonable fertilization: Peucedanum praeruptorum has a low fertilizer requirement. Apply some pig and cattle manure in the early stage. After the seedlings emerge completely, apply human and livestock manure water or urea in combination with cultivation and weeding, and later apply some compound fertilizer. When fertilizing, be careful not to damage the roots or leaves.
5. Pest and disease control: The main disease of Peucedanum praeruptorum is powdery mildew. After infection, powdery lesions appear on the leaf surface, gradually expand, and the leaves turn yellow and wither. Remove and burn diseased plants promptly when found, and spray with triadimefon for control.
6. Harvesting and processing: This is done in November in autumn. First cut off the withered and residual stems, dig out the entire root, clean off the soil, air-dry for 2 to 3 days, and sun-dry until the roots become soft. The general yield is 300 to 400 kg per mu, and high-yield fields can reach 500 kg.