Semi-hardwood green shoot cutting propagation technique for Schisandra chinensis

In early to mid-June, collect semi-hardwood new shoots of Schisandra chinensis varieties or superior lines as test material for cutting propagation. Generally, it is more suitable to collect cuttings before 10:00 a.m. The cuttings should be 15-20 cm long and more than 0.3 cm thick, retaining the leaves on the middle and upper parts, removing the leaves 3-5 cm above the base (cut end), with the lower cut made on a semi-hardwood node and the cut surface slanted. Soak the cuttings in 0.1% carbendazim solution for 1-2 minutes, shake off the water droplets, then soak the bases in 1000 mg/kg naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) or 100 mg/kg ABT No.1 rooting powder for 20-30 seconds before planting.

The cutting bed should be built in a greenhouse or plastic tunnel with good moisture retention and heat dissipation. First dig a ground pool 1.5-2 m wide, 6 m long and 0.5 m deep, and build it up with bricks around the sides to form a semi-underground cutting bed, then set up an arched frame and a shade frame above the pool. Use a 1:1 mixture of clean river sand and sieved cinder ash as the substrate. Sterilize and kill insects on the bed surface with 0.1% carbendazim and 0.2% phoxim, disinfect the substrate by spraying with 2% potassium permanganate solution, let it sit for 2 hours, then rinse once with water, and spread it evenly on the cutting bed at a thickness of 15-20 cm. Use a wooden stick 2.5 cm in diameter to make holes 3-4 cm deep at a plant and row spacing of 8 cm x 3-4 cm, then insert the scions and firm them down. The leaves should not overlap each other, then spray with water.

The humidity inside the tunnel should be maintained above 90%, the light transmittance at about 40%, and the daily temperature controlled at 19-30°C. Spray 3-4 times a day according to the humidity conditions, and no runoff should form after spraying. Spray a disinfectant solution 15 days after cutting, and then spray once every 8-10 days thereafter. If managed properly after cutting, 5-10 roots can develop in 30-40 days. Gradually remove the humidity protection, control water and harden the seedlings. As long as the leaves do not show signs of wilting, do not water. On rainy days, add a cover to prevent rainwater from flowing into the bed. After hardening, the rooted vigorous seedlings can be carefully dug out and planted in open-field seedling beds at a plant and row spacing of 25 cm x 12 cm, and continue to be grown into seedlings. Rooted seedlings moved to the open field also require equally careful management. Following the principle of promoting early growth and controlling later growth, produce sturdy seedlings with well-developed underground root systems and a high degree of aboveground lignification.