Detailed Explanation of Harvesting Methods and Primary Processing Techniques for Codonopsis pilosula

1. Harvesting and Storage of Codonopsis pilosula Seeds

Although one-year-old Codonopsis pilosula plants can produce a small amount of flowers and seeds, many of the seeds are shriveled and do not easily sprout after sowing, or the seedlings that emerge are weak in growth, so they are not suitable for seed use. Two- to three-year-old Codonopsis pilosula plants produce more flowers and seeds, with plump grains, high yield, and good quality, and the seedlings grown from them are robust, making them suitable for seed use. Codonopsis pilosula seeds are generally harvested from September to October, when the fruits of two- to three-year-old Codonopsis pilosula turn yellowish-white and the seeds turn brown. After harvesting, dry them in the shade, place them in cloth bags or burlap bags, and store them at low temperature; the suitable temperature is below 10°C.

2. Harvesting and Processing of Codonopsis pilosula Roots

The harvesting period for Codonopsis pilosula is best at 3 years. The harvesting season for Codonopsis pilosula can begin in autumn when the aboveground parts of Codonopsis pilosula wither, and continue until the following spring before Codonopsis pilosula sprouts. Roots harvested in autumn have abundant powdery content, a high drying ratio, and good quality; the reason is that Codonopsis pilosula roots harvested in autumn have accumulated more organic matter, are substantial, and have thick flesh, and at the same time the autumn harvesting period is long, with higher temperatures making processing easier. After the Codonopsis pilosula is dug out, shake off the soil, wash it clean with water, first divide it by size, length, and thickness into old, large, and medium roots, and spread them separately to dry until they are 30 to 40 percent dry, until the surface is slightly moistened and soft (can be bent around a finger without breaking); then take the Codonopsis pilosula one handful at a time and hold it along the direction or place it on a wooden board, and rub it with the hands. If the root tips are too dry, they can first be soaked in water briefly and then rubbed. After holding or rubbing, dry again, repeating 3 to 4 times, so that the skin and flesh of the Codonopsis pilosula adhere closely, making it substantial, plump, and elastic. After drying until 80 to 90 percent dry, it can be stored. Codonopsis pilosula is rich in sugars, sweet in taste, and soft and moist in texture. In summer it easily absorbs moisture, becomes moldy, loses oil, and is damaged by insects. This is especially likely to occur at the warty protruding scars and buds on the root head or at broken parts of the branch roots, so it must be stored in a dry, cool, and ventilated place. Codonopsis pilosula is generally packed in cartons lined with moisture-proof paper, about 20 kg per piece. The suitable temperature should not exceed 28°C, the relative humidity should be 65%-75%, and the safe moisture content of the commodity is 11%-14%.