What are the key techniques for high-benefit cultivation and management of licorice?

(1) Site selection and land preparation. Licorice has strong adaptability, and most soils can be used for planting except saline-alkali land. In autumn, apply barnyard manure or compost as base fertilizer, plow more than 20 cm deep, rake level and make beds 1 m wide and 17 cm high, and open small furrows on the bed surface for sowing at planting time.

(2) Propagation methods. Use seed propagation and rhizome propagation.

1. Seed propagation. This method can be used to expand the area.

(1) Seed treatment. Under natural conditions, the hard seed rate of licorice seeds is as high as more than 80%-90%. Pre-sowing seed treatment is the key to a high yield. Three treatment methods are commonly used in production: First, warming and repeated soaking. Soak the seeds in 60°C warm water for 6-8 hours, skim off shriveled grains and the like, then use the "rice-washing method" to float out the soaked seeds; then put the unsoaked seeds into 100°C boiling water for 2-3 seconds, remove them, immediately put them into cold water to shock them, and finally soak them in 60°C warm water for 2-4 hours, then remove them and rinse off the mucilage with clean water for later use. Second, mechanical treatment. Use a rice mill to hull the seeds once at slow speed or twice at fast speed, then soak them in 40°C warm water for 3 hours, and after removing them rinse them once with clean water. Third, sulfuric acid treatment. For each kilogram of hard seeds, add 80% concentration sulfuric acid and mix well, soak at 15-20°C for 2 hours, observe at any time, and if small black spots appear on the surface of most seed coats, take them out and rinse them in running water for half an hour.

(2) Seedling raising and transplanting. Water the bed surface thoroughly, and when the water seeps down, broadcast the treated seeds, then cover with about 1.5 cm of soil. The sowing rate per hectare is 60-120 kg, keeping 1.05 million-1.5 million plants. Alternatively, first open shallow furrows in the bed at 15 cm row spacing for drilling, or sow in holes at 5-10 cm spacing (3-5 seeds per hole), then cover with soil and water. To keep warm and moist and speed up seed germination, set up low plastic tunnels or cover with grass on the bed surface, and remove them after the seedlings are complete. Transplant in September of the same year or the following spring at 50-80 cm x 30 cm row and plant spacing. When transplanting, open furrows 15-25 cm deep and 40 cm wide, with 15-20 cm between furrows, apply sufficient decomposed farmyard manure in the furrows, and apply 375-750 kg of diammonium phosphate per hectare, and finally place the seedlings obliquely in the furrows at 8-10 cm plant spacing (shallow furrows may also be opened appropriately for flat planting), then cover with soil.

(3) Direct sowing in the open field. Generally, spring sowing is in March-April, and autumn sowing is in July-August. Row spacing is 30 cm, sowing depth is 2-3 cm, and sowing may be appropriately deeper on sandy or dry land. The sowing rate per hectare is about 22.5 kg, and it is suitable to keep about 375,000 plants.

2. Rhizome propagation. Rhizome propagation grows quickly. Dig out rhizomes in spring or autumn, cut them into 5-10 cm small sections, each with at least 1-2 buds. In the prepared bed, open furrows 9 cm deep at 90 cm x 15-20 cm row and plant spacing, place the roots flat along the furrows, cover with soil, press firm and water, and keep the soil moist regularly.

(3) Field management. After the seedlings emerge completely, thin them once; when the seedlings are 5-6 cm tall, final thinning is done. Generally, the number of seedlings per hectare is kept at 180,000-225,000 plants, with a plant spacing of 10-15 cm. In the first year, the seedlings are small, so weed frequently, loosen the soil, earth up 2-3 times, and topdress 1-2 times. From the second year on, licorice roots begin to tiller, and intertillage and weeding are no longer needed. Fertilization is mainly with barnyard manure or human excrement and urine, and superphosphate. In low-lying land, drain accumulated water promptly after rain.