Detailed Explanation of Field Management Methods and Technical Points for Mustard Greens
Mustard greens (Brassica juncea) is an annual herbaceous plant of the Brassicaceae family. Its plant is relatively tall, and at its tallest it can grow to about 1.5 m. Every part of the mustard greens plant has value: the leaves are edible, the seeds can be used as medicine, and they are also the main raw material for mustard, as well as an oilseed crop. Mustard greens is cultivated to some extent in all parts of China, so how should mustard greens cultivation be managed? Below, the editor brings you the field management methods for mustard greens. Let's take a look!
1. Seedling stage management
Mustard greens grows very quickly after sowing and emergence, so after emergence we must do a good job of thinning the seedlings, starting when the seedlings grow 1 true leaf. Expand the planting spacing to avoid overly dense growth in the mid-to-late stage, which causes leggy seedlings. Then, when the seedlings grow 2-3 true leaves, carry out final thinning to retain the characteristics of the seedlings, ensure the seedlings have enough space and uniform emergence, and increase yield. Mustard greens plants are tall, so planting should not be too dense, to prevent excessive vegetative growth.
2. Intertillage and weeding
During the growth of mustard greens, the soil must be kept sufficiently loose and well aerated, so we should regularly intertill and weed to increase soil oxygen content and water- and fertilizer-holding capacity, and promote the growth of mustard greens. Although mustard greens has relatively strong growth ability, we still cannot relax the weeding work, because weeds have a very strong ability to snatch nutrients and will seriously hinder the growth of mustard greens. Throughout the entire growth period of mustard greens, intertillage and weeding should be carried out at least twice to create a good environment for the growth of mustard greens.
3. Topdressing at the right time
Fertilizer is the key to ensuring high yield of mustard greens, especially for soil with insufficient base fertilizer or relatively poor soil. Before ridge closing, each time you hill up the soil you need to apply topdressing once. Pay attention to the concentration and amount of fertilizer, usually based on 20 kg/mu, with urea and potassium chloride as the main fertilizers. Pay attention to the fertilization method: it should be evenly sprinkled in the furrows, and the roots of mustard greens must not come into contact with the fertilizer, to prevent the fertilizer from releasing heat and burning the roots, which would affect the growth of mustard greens.
4. Water management
Mustard greens has little water demand at the seedling stage; rainwater alone can meet the water needs of the seedling stage, but if it does not rain for a long time, proper watering is still needed. Especially in a long-term drought environment, watering at least once a day is necessary. Water shortage at the seedling stage not only affects growth but also increases the incidence of various diseases and pests. In the middle stage of mustard greens, the principle is not to water unless there is drought, to avoid excessive vegetative growth of mustard greens; in the later stage, keep the soil moist to promote the swelling of the roots and stems.
5. Disease and pest control
Mustard greens has relatively strong growth ability and disease resistance, so the incidence of disease during growth is not high. However, it will be threatened by some pests, such as aphids, cabbage caterpillars, and others, and these pests will in turn cause some diseases. Therefore, the prevention and control of diseases and pests is still management work we need to do well in planting: reduce the sources of pathogens in the field, strengthen field management, and deal with pests promptly when found. Most pests can be sprayed and killed with common insecticides on the market. But we mainly focus on prevention; as long as every management task in the planting process is done well, effective prevention can be achieved.
The above is a brief introduction to the field management methods for mustard greens. To promote the growth of mustard greens, we can appropriately spray growth regulators after the seedlings are finally thinned. This enhances the photosynthesis of mustard greens leaves, increases nutrient accumulation, and promotes the growth of mustard greens, but pay attention to the dosage and do not overdo it, otherwise mustard greens will show excessive vegetative growth, which backfires and leads to reduced yield.