Detailed Explanation of the Key Points of Dendrobium Cutting Propagation Technology
Dendrobium is a very precious traditional Chinese medicinal herb in China, and it is grown on a very large area in China. Dendrobium has effects such as promoting body fluid and nourishing the stomach, moistening the lungs and benefiting the kidneys, and can improve the human body's immunity, enhance human memory, and have a very good restorative effect on all human organs. At present, one of the more important tasks in growing Dendrobium is how to propagate it. Today, the editor brings you the cutting propagation technology of Dendrobium. Let's take a look together!
1. Seedbed selection
The cutting seedbed for Dendrobium should be selected as a plot with strong permeability, sufficient light, flatness, and normal drainage and irrigation. Then use materials such as sawdust powder as the cutting substrate, because sawdust powder has good ventilation and air permeability and is sufficiently loose and soft, suitable for the growth of Dendrobium cuttings. Avoid the cutting substrate containing pests, disease bacteria, diseased seedlings, and unrotted organic matter and other hazards to the growth of Dendrobium, and use agents such as potassium permanganate to disinfect the substrate. Then control the seedbed area well according to the number of cuttings and later management, compact the substrate and lay out humus to ensure sufficient nutrients.
2. Cutting treatment
Select healthy-growing Dendrobium plants without pests and diseases as the mother plants for cuttings, then select branches grown within two years on the plants; the branches are required to be thick and strong with plump buds. The branches should not be selected from those that have already bloomed or are immature. When cutting them off, make the lower cut about 0.3 cm below the leaf petiole, retain about 2 bud nodes, and ensure the cut is smooth and not too large. Try to do this in the morning or on cloudy days; at this time the cuttings have sufficient water content, strong healing ability, and a high rooting rate. After cutting, place the cuttings in a potassium permanganate solution for disinfection, soak for about a quarter of an hour, wash them clean, then dip 2 seedling sections in rooting agent, and do not touch the axillary buds or the concentration, so as to prevent sprouting from being hindered.
3. Timely cutting
The cutting time is also very important for the subsequent growth of Dendrobium. Generally, it is around April to September each year, and the temperature during this period is very suitable for the growth of cuttings. Then insert the treated cuttings into the pre-prepared substrate, paying attention to keeping the buds and eyes of the cuttings facing upward, and then inserting them into the substrate at a slight angle. The cutting depth should not exceed half of the cutting, to prevent the aboveground part from being unable to grow and making it difficult to form an independent plant. Also pay attention to the cutting density; do not insert them too densely, to avoid affecting each other's light absorption, consuming too many nutrients, and affecting the growth of the cuttings.
4. Management after cutting
After cutting, control the water content of the seedbed at about 60%, then keep the air humidity at about 85%, and water promptly when water shortage is found. When the wound gradually heals after about half a month, the amount of watering can be appropriately reduced, and ventilation work should be done well to improve the rooting rate of the cuttings. Water immediately after cutting; the air temperature should not be higher than the soil temperature, and appropriate shading should be provided to do a good job in cooling and moisture retention. The temperature for rooting of cuttings is about 22-24 degrees. If it is too high, ventilate promptly and water appropriately to lower the temperature. Then appropriately spray agents such as mancozeb, about once every 5 days, reduce as appropriate after rooting, and appropriately spray foliar fertilizer after healing. When the cuttings have grown for half a year and reached a length of about 18 cm, they can be transplanted in spring and autumn.
The above is a brief introduction to Dendrobium cutting propagation technology. Dendrobium cutting propagation is the main propagation method and is also the most widely used. It is more suitable for large-scale planting, but everyone needs to master certain techniques to ensure successful propagation. That is all for today's introduction. This article is for reference only, and I hope it can help everyone!