Pinellia ternata cultivation techniques (part two): detailed planting methods

(1) Propagation methods Pinellia ternata is mainly propagated by tubers and bulbils, and can also be propagated by seeds.

① Tuber propagation After Pinellia ternata has been cultivated for 2 years, the underground tubers can be dug up after the stems fall over in June, August and October each year. Select small tubers about 0.5 cm in transverse diameter that are robust and free from pests and diseases as seed. Mix the seed tubers with semi-dry, semi-moist fine sandy soil, store them in a ventilated and cool place, and take them out for planting in the winter of the same year or the spring of the next year. Planting in the spring of the next year is preferable. With a row spacing of 15 cm, open furrows 10 cm wide and about 5 cm deep, and place the tubers in two staggered rows in each furrow with the buds facing upward. After planting, apply a layer of mixed fertilizer soil on top, then cover with about 5 cm of soil. About 100 kg of seed tubers are needed per mu.

② Bulbil propagation Each stem and leaf of Pinellia ternata bears 1 bulbil. The quantity is sufficient, germination is reliable, and the maturity period is early, so it is the main propagation material. In summer and autumn, when the old leaves are about to wither, the bulbils mature and are picked immediately, then sown in holes at a row and plant spacing of 10 cm x 8 cm, with 2 to 3 grains per hole. They can also be propagated by covering with soil in thick soil, that is, when one batch of stems falls over, the bulbils drop onto the soil surface in place, and the soil surface is raked once with a four-tooth rake while applying an appropriate amount of mixed fertilizer, which can both promote the shading and growth of the bulbils and add fertilizer for the mother tubers.

③ Seed propagation Pinellia ternata that has grown for more than 2 years can bloom and bear fruit successively from early summer to autumn and winter. When the spathe turns yellow and droops, harvest the seeds and store them in wet sand, then sow them in a seedbed in March to April of the next year. They emerge in about 15 days, but the emergence rate is not high, the seeds have weak germination vigor, and growth is slow, so this is not often used in production.

(2) Site selection and land preparation For Pinellia ternata cultivation, it is best to choose moist, fertile sandy loam with strong water and fertilizer retention and a loose texture. A gently sloping hillside with partial shade and partial sun can also be chosen, and it can also be intercropped or relay-cropped with corn, rapeseed, wheat and fruit trees. After selecting the site, plow deeply in winter, apply sufficient base fertilizer, and rake level to make beds.

(3) Field management Pinellia ternata seedlings grow slowly, while weeds grow rapidly, so weeds must be removed in time 3 to 4 times. When cultivating between the rows, hoe shallowly and do not damage the roots. Water and fertilizer management are also very important. Pinellia ternata plots should be kept moist and cool at all times, and fertilizer should be applied in a timely manner; both human manure and diammonium phosphate are acceptable. Common pests and diseases include rot disease, leaf spot disease and viral disease, which are controlled by conventional methods.