Detailed Explanation of the Four-Harvest Cultivation Model: Rice, Cotton, Garlic, and Potato

The Gao'an Agricultural Technology Station in Fanchang County, Anhui Province, has promoted a three-dimensional cultivation model of four harvests per year: upland rice, cotton, green garlic, and potato. Per 667 sq m, it yields 213 kg of upland rice, 200.7 kg of seed cotton, 510 kg of green garlic, and 1,480 kg of potato, achieving good economic benefits. The cultivation model is as follows.

I. Planting Method

Each planting strip is 1 m wide. Cotton is grown in single-row ridges; cotton rows are ridged in single rows 50 cm wide, with 1 m between ridges, and a 50 cm wide bed surface is made between two ridges. Cotton plant spacing is 25 cm, row spacing is 1 m, and 2,500 plants are grown per 667 sq m. On the bed between the 2 cotton rows, 2 rows of upland rice are transplanted, with a plant spacing of 16 cm, and 8,000 clumps are grown per 667 sq m. After the upland rice is harvested, 3 rows of old garlic are drilled on the bed, with a plant spacing of 5 cm and a row spacing of 13 cm, and 400,000 plants are grown per 667 sq m. After the cotton and green garlic are harvested, potatoes are planted throughout the field, with a hole spacing of 40 cm and a row spacing of 90 cm, sowing 3-4 seed potato pieces per hole, and after thinning, 6,000 plants are retained per 667 sq m.

II. Planting Management Techniques

1. Upland rice. The variety selected is Brazil upland rice. In early April, soak the seeds in water for 2-3 days; sow once the seeds have absorbed enough water. Use the dry-raised seedling method or raise seedlings in nutrient pots, cover with double film, control the seedling age at 25-30 days, and when the leaf age is 3.5-4.5 leaves, transplant 2 rows of upland rice in early May onto the bed between two cotton rows. For nutrient pot seedling raising, sow 4 seeds per pot; for dry-raised seedlings, plant 4 basic seedlings per hole at transplanting. Before planting, apply a base fertilizer per 667 sq m of 1,000 kg of pig manure and 15 kg of imported compound fertilizer. From 5-10 days after planting, carry out intertillage and weeding, and at the same time apply per 667 sq m 10 kg of urea and 4 kg of potassium chloride to promote effective tillering. During the heading and grain-filling stage, use per 667 sq m 0.5 kg of urea plus 0.15 kg of potassium dihydrogen phosphate, mixed with 50 kg of water, for foliar spraying to promote full heading. In addition, to prevent lodging, around the jointing stage, use 120 g of 15% paclobutrazol wettable powder mixed with 60 kg of water for foliar spraying to control internode elongation. At the same time, pay attention to controlling borers and weeds. After the upland rice matures in early to mid-August, harvest it in time to clear the way for the next crop.

2. Cotton. Choose high-quality, high-yield, disease- and pest-resistant varieties, such as Simian No. 10, insect-resistant cotton, etc. Raise seedlings in nutrient pots in mid-April, transplant in mid-May, and control the seedling age at 28 days. Transplant cotton in a single row on the ridge; before planting, apply a base fertilizer per 667 sq m of 2,500 kg of pig manure and soil fertilizer as much as possible, 40 kg of cake fertilizer, 15 kg of imported compound fertilizer, and 20 kg of urea. In mid to late May during the seedling stage, combine intertillage and weeding with a topdressing per 667 sq m of 25 kg of ammonium bicarbonate, or 7 kg-10 kg of urea. In early to mid-July during the flowering and boll stage, apply 15 kg of urea per 667 sq m. From the end of July to early August, remove the terminal bud; in mid-August, remove the side buds and wipe off surplus buds. At the same time, do a good job in pruning, removing branches, chemical control, and disease and pest control. Apply a supplementary topping fertilizer later. After the cotton is harvested in December, clear the way for the next crop in time.

3. Green garlic. The variety selected is Ershuizao. After harvest in early to mid-August, plow deeply, clear stubble, weed, and make beds, then sow 3 rows of old garlic on the beds. When sowing, remove the garlic clove covering membrane and sow by grading cloves into large, medium, and small sizes, with a sowing depth of 2-3 cm. Before sowing, apply a base fertilizer per 667 sq m of 1,500 kg of organic fertilizer, 10 kg of urea, and 25 kg of superphosphate. After sowing, pour on 30 loads of decomposed human and livestock manure, then cover with plant ash. After emergence, carry out intertillage, weeding, and hilling, and apply per 667 sq m 1,500 kg of decomposed manure or 5 kg-7 kg of urea to promote full and strong seedlings. From late December, harvest green garlic to clear the way for the next crop.

4. Potato. Choose disease-resistant, early-maturing varieties, such as Kexin No. 4, Zhengshu No. 2, etc. After the cotton and green garlic are harvested in late December, plow the whole field, weed, and make beds, then sow potatoes. Before sowing, cut the seed potatoes to promote sprouting. Select seed potatoes with bright skin, moderate size, no pests or diseases, and no frost damage, cut them into seed pieces according to effective eyes, mix with plant ash for disinfection, place the seed pieces and moist soil in alternating layers, and stack 3-4 layers. If the temperature is relatively low, cover the top layer with soil and then cover with plastic film to increase temperature; after 15-20 days, when the sprouts are 2 cm long, sow them. Before sowing in the field, apply a base fertilizer per 667 sq m of 2,000 kg of farmyard manure, 50 kg of cake fertilizer, 25 kg of superphosphate, 20 kg of urea, and 15 loads of plant ash. Before sowing, pour on 1,500 kg of decomposed human and livestock manure, then cover with soil and film. After the seedlings emerge, break the film to release the seedlings. After emergence, apply per 667 sq m 1,500 kg of decomposed manure or 7 kg-10 kg of urea. For potato seedlings with vigorous growth, at the early flowering stage, use 30 mg/kg-40 mg/kg of mepiquat chloride for control. Harvest and clear stubble in early May.