Discovery of a Wild Self-Seeding Fertile Pinellia Plant and Analysis of Its Utilization Prospects

Since 1988, we have conducted surveys of wild Pinellia ternata variety resources in the Yimeng Mountain area and research on artificial cultivation techniques. During many years of investigation and study, we discovered a single Pinellia ternata plant that can self-pollinate and set seed under wild conditions. After artificial domestication and cultivation, one 1.5 g Pinellia tuber can produce 40 to 50 seeds in one year, thereby solving the problems of low natural seed-setting rate and the lack of five usable [varieties] in production, and opening a path for improving the propagation rate of Pinellia ternata.

1 Botanical characteristics

The plant is about 10 cm tall. The leaves of mature plants are 3-lobed, with ovate leaflets; the leaves of young plants are a single ovate leaf. It is suitable for growing on fertile plots. This single plant produces inflorescences right after emergence in early April, and each flower spike can set 13 to 20 seeds. Thereafter, each time it produces 1 leaf, 1 inflorescence is produced along with it. One tuber weighing 1.5 g can produce 4 to 6 flower spikes in one year, setting 40 to 50 seeds, with a propagation rate of 1:40 to 50, which is more than 10 times higher than the current propagation rate in production using the asexual organs of Pinellia ternata, namely bulbils and small tubers, as propagation material.

2 Utilization prospects

The discovery of the wild self-seeding fertile Pinellia plant has created conditions for improving the propagation rate of Pinellia ternata and using seeds for field cultivation. It is of great significance for expanding the planting area, increasing Pinellia ternata yield, and meeting medicinal needs.

2.1 Establish seed propagation fields to propagate as quickly as possible more Pinellia ternata seeds that can set seed under natural conditions.

2.2 Carry out artificial pollination to improve the seed-setting rate.

2.3 Pesticides are prohibited in the field during the flowering period of Pinellia ternata, so as to facilitate insect pollination.

2.4 Field management should be strengthened during the flowering period of Pinellia ternata to ensure sufficient soil moisture and improve the seed-setting rate.