How to Save Water in Goji Berry Cultivation? A Detailed Explanation of the Key Technical Points

Goji berry (Lycium barbarum) is a shallow-rooted small shrub. Over the more than 7 months of its full growth period, the critical water-demand stage of plant development falls in late April (the stage when buds appear on old root branches and new shoots emerge), and the period of maximum water-use efficiency falls in late June (the early stage of fruit swelling and ripening). There is a saying among growers that "goji berries cannot do without water, yet cannot stand water," so in the management of the full growth period of goji berries, irrigation must be reasonable, and water-saving techniques must be emphasized even more. Agricultural measures, biological regulation and a water-fertilizer coupling system are all adopted to promote the coordinated development of vegetative growth and vegetative reproduction in goji berry plants, so as to obtain high-quality, high-yield goji berries, reduce production input costs, and achieve higher yields and income.

1. Water-saving techniques for young goji berry plants

① Level the land before establishing the plantation, with a leveling height difference of 0.3 cm to 0.5 cm, and make each 0.3 mu to 0.5 mu a field plot.

② Before planting the seedlings, first dip the seedling roots into a mud slurry containing 100 PPM naphthaleneacetic acid to coat them.

③ First fill each planting hole with 5 kg of decomposed barnyard manure mixed evenly with soil, then plant the seedling.

④ Irrigate for the first time in early May, with a water inflow of 40 cubic m to 50 cubic m per mu.

⑤ In mid-June, cut off the suckers sprouting from the root zone of the seedlings, remove the excessive vegetative branches (commonly known as "youtiao") other than the selected main branches, and pinch the tips of the retained main branches at 30 cm of branch length to promote the growth of fruiting branches.

2. Water-saving techniques for mature goji berry plants

① Shallow tillage. From late March to mid-April, carry out shallow tillage of the plantation to a depth of 5 cm to 10 cm to preserve soil moisture and increase humidity. Test measurements showed that in the goji berry rows that had undergone shallow tillage, the average soil moisture content in the 0 cm to 20 cm soil layer was 18.34%, while that of untilled soil was 17.78%, 0.45% higher; the soil moisture content under the tree canopy was 18.84%, while that of untilled soil was 17.70%, 1.14% higher. Spring shoot emergence was 5 days earlier, and growth increased by 1.93 cm.

② Pruning. In mid-June, promptly cut off the excessive vegetative branches sprouting from the root zone of the plants and from the main stems and main branches, and shorten the intermediate branches to reduce consumption and promote the growth of fruiting branches. A survey showed that compared with unpruned plants, pruned plants had 46 more fruiting branches, an increase of 8 cm in branch length, and an increase of 0.45 kg in fruit yield per plant.

③ Irrigate for the first time in early May, with a water inflow of 50 cubic m to 60 cubic m per mu.

④ In mid-June, apply nitrogen and phosphorus compound fertilizer in furrows in the soil, 250 g per plant, mix evenly with the soil, then close the furrows and irrigate, with a water inflow of 50 cubic m per mu, without missing any irrigation, without cross-irrigation, and without drainage.

⑤ In July (peak fruit ripening period), spray nutrient solution fertilizer on the leaves once every 7 days to 10 days, at 120 kg per mu. If leaf curling is observed at noon, irrigation can be carried out at night, with a water inflow of about 40 cubic m per mu.

⑥ In early September, irrigate with "White Dew water," with a water inflow of 50 cubic m per mu, to facilitate autumn application of base fertilizer and autumn plowing of the plantation.

⑦ In late October, irrigate with winter water, with a water inflow of 60 cubic m per mu, to store water in the soil and keep the plants warm for overwintering.

The irrigation volume of the goji berry plantation over the full growth period was controlled from the traditional 450 cubic m to 500 cubic m down to 250 cubic m to 300 cubic m.