Detailed Explanation of Pollution-Free High-Yield Cultivation Techniques for Goji Berry in Greenhouses

Goji berry (Lycium barbarum) is a perennial deciduous small shrub of the genus Lycium in the Solanaceae family. Its tender shoots and leaves (also known as goji tips) are eaten as a vegetable and can be stir-fried, served as a cold dish, or used in soups. They are nutritious, delicious and refreshing, and are highly favored by consumers. Lishui County, Jiangsu Province began introducing and cultivating it in 2002. The products are mainly sold to large and medium-sized cities such as Shanghai, Nanjing and Wuxi, and demand in the market exceeds supply, achieving relatively high economic returns. The pollution-free high-yield cultivation techniques for goji berry in greenhouses are introduced as follows:

1. Variety selection

Choose the large-leaf goji. This variety has large, green, oval-shaped leaves about 8 cm long and about 5 cm wide, is thornless, has a relatively mild flavor, has strong resistance and high yield.

2. Land preparation and bed building

Choose a field with loose, fertile soil and high, dry terrain, and deep-plow and sun-bake the soil about 20 days before transplanting. Before plowing, broadcast 5000 kg of fully decomposed organic fertilizer and 50 kg of compound fertilizer per mu. Build beds 1 week before transplanting, forming raised beds with a bed surface width of 120 cm, a bed ditch width of 30 cm and a bed height of 30 cm (4 beds per standard greenhouse). To facilitate water management, a 2.5 cm diameter plastic soft drip irrigation hose can be laid down the middle of the bed.

3. Cultivation method

Use direct cuttings in the field and facility cultivation in greenhouses. In the Nanjing area, cuttings can be taken in both spring and autumn, in mid-February in spring and mid-August in autumn. Collect strong-growing semi-lignified branches and cut them into 12-18 cm long cuttings (each cutting must have 4-6 buds), and soak the cuttings in rooting powder solution for 24 hours. Insert the cuttings at a row spacing of 30 cm and a plant spacing of 25 cm, with 1-2 cuttings per hole, at a density of 7000-8000 plants/mu. When inserting, the axillary buds should face upward and the cuttings must not be inserted upside down, with an insertion depth of 5-7 cm, and water thoroughly after insertion.

4. Field management

4.1 Water and fertilizer management After goji cuttings are inserted, new buds generally begin to sprout in about 10 days in spring and about 8 days in autumn. The bed surface should always be kept moist to promote rapid growth of new buds. Drought or excessive field humidity is unfavorable for rooting and sprouting of the cuttings and affects the yield and quality of goji. About 20 days after cutting, apply 1500 kg of dilute human and livestock manure per mu once. After the first harvest is completed, apply 15 kg of urea per mu as a top dressing, and thereafter apply fertilizer once after each harvest. By the time the goji branches are pruned and the plastic film is replaced from May to mid-June of the following year, deeply apply fully decomposed high-quality organic fertilizer between the rows, 4000 kg per mu, plus 30 kg of compound fertilizer.

4.2 Temperature management The most suitable temperature for the growth of goji branches is 15-25°C. In autumn, the greenhouse should be covered before Frost's Descent. To ensure that goji goes on the market normally at New Year's Day and the Spring Festival, from around December 10 to late February, a middle greenhouse layer should be added inside the greenhouse to keep the greenhouse temperature above 15°C. At the same time, the greenhouse film should be uncovered and covered in a timely manner according to weather conditions to ensure ventilation and air exchange. During high summer temperatures, a shade net should be covered on top of the greenhouse, and water should be sprayed in the morning and evening to cool and moisturize, creating a suitable microclimate for growth and helping to improve the quality of goji.

4.3 Clearing the field and pruning During the goji growing period, attention should be paid to removing weeds in the field. Generally, from May to June each year, goji stops being harvested for the summer, and this opportunity can be used to clean the field and prune branches and leaves. The methods are: first, in combination with intertillage and hilling, clean up dead branches and fallen leaves, weeds and aged plastic film in the field; second, in mid-June, cut off all branches and leaves more than 12-15 cm above the ground. After clearing the field and pruning, deeply apply fertilizer and cover with new plastic film.

4.4 Pest and disease control Goji has strong disease resistance and diseases are relatively mild. The main insect pests are aphids and noctuid moths. For aphids, 10% imidacloprid wettable powder can be selected and sprayed with water per mu for control; for noctuid moths, BT 500-fold solution can be selected and sprayed before the larvae reach the 2nd instar.

5. Harvest

Vegetable goji can be harvested multiple times from one cutting. The interval from cutting to the first harvest is 50 days in spring and 40 days in autumn, and thereafter it is harvested about once every 10 days. Usually, it is harvested about once every 15 days in winter and about once every 7 days in summer. Harvest standard: tender shoots 8-12 cm long. Harvest method: pick by hand or cut with a sharp knife in the morning and evening. May to June is the peak season for summer vegetables on the market, and the price of goji is relatively low, so harvesting can be suspended. Generally, the annual yield of goji can reach 2500-3000 kg per mu.