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High economic returns from intercropping apricot trees with Chinese medicinal herbs

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In recent years, farmers in the rural areas around Luoyang, Henan, have adopted the "forest-medicinal herb intercropping" method to plant trees and grow medicinal herbs, becoming wealthy through both the "forest" and the "medicinal herbs." The soil in the Luoyang area is very high in potassium, so the kernel apricot, a potassium-loving plant, finds the necessary soil conditions to grow there. Moreover, the light, heat and moisture conditions here all suit the growth requirements of kernel apricot. Kernel apricot is cold-tolerant, light-loving and tolerant of poor soil, making it suitable for planting on semi-arid hilly slopes. After planting, kernel apricot can bloom and bear fruit in two to three years, and in four to five

In recent years, farmers in the rural areas around Luoyang, Henan, have adopted the "forest-medicinal herb intercropping" method to plant trees and grow medicinal herbs, becoming wealthy through both the "forest" and the "medicinal herbs." The soil in the Luoyang area is very high in potassium, so the kernel apricot, a potassium-loving plant, finds the necessary soil conditions to grow there. Moreover, the light, heat and moisture conditions here all suit the growth requirements of kernel apricot. Kernel apricot is cold-tolerant, light-loving and tolerant of poor soil, making it suitable for planting on semi-arid hilly slopes. After planting, kernel apricot can bloom and bear fruit in two to three years, enter full bearing in four to five years, with a per-mu yield of over 100 kg of apricot kernels and an output value of more than 1,500 yuan; the highest per-mu yield reaches 170 kg of apricot kernels, worth more than 2,500 yuan.

Although the economic value and market prospects of kernel apricot are very broad, it takes two to three years to bear fruit. Before that, leaving the woodland ground empty is a waste, while growing grain there gives low yields and lots of weeds, and also competes for nutrients. Intercropping medicinal herbs with kernel apricot can not only control the weeds but also achieve a double harvest of apricots and herbs.

1. Selection of medicinal herb varieties: According to the local soil conditions and the growth requirements of the apricot trees, short-stemmed root and rhizome medicinal herbs such as Danshen (Salvia miltiorrhiza), Huangqi (Astragalus membranaceus), Banlangen (Isatis indigotica) and Xuanshen (Scrophularia ningpoensis) and other bulk medicinal herbs are more suitable.

2. Key points for growing medicinal herbs: Given the local dry climate and the difficulty of watering on hilly slopes, choose a planting method based mainly on seedling transplanting with direct sowing as a supplement; this ensures the survival rate of the medicinal herbs, shortens their growth cycle, and lets farmers see returns as early as possible. First, before planting the medicinal herbs, soil disinfection is very important, otherwise the yield and quality of the herbs are hard to guarantee. Before preparing the land, apply 1 kg of carbofuran per mu, along with 5,000 kg of farmyard manure or 80 kg to 100 kg of compound fertilizer, then plow deep and harrow fine; this can effectively control underground pests such as white grubs, cutworms and wireworms. Second, master the planting density of the medicinal herbs well. Huangqi and Danshen are generally transplanted in March to April, with a planting spacing of 25 cm to 30 cm between plants and rows, and 6,000 to 7,000 plants per mu; Banlangen is generally direct-sown, using 3.5 kg of seed per mu, with a sowing depth of about 2 cm.

3. Benefit analysis of the medicinal herbs: After a year of scientific and careful management, these herbs can be harvested at the end of the year. Huangqi yields about 250 kg of dried herb per mu, with an output value of about 2,000 yuan; Danshen yields about 300 kg of dried herb per mu, with an output value of about 1,500 yuan; the dried leaves of Banlangen are picked in June to July of the same year, yielding about 150 kg per mu, plus about 300 kg of dried herb per mu at the end of the year, giving a per-mu output value of about 1,500 yuan.

When planting, not only must the density of the medicinal herbs be considered, but also the distance between the herbs and the apricot trees. In mountain areas, the most suitable row spacing for kernel apricot is 4 m, with a plant spacing of 2 m to 2.5 m; on flat land, the row spacing is 4 m and the plant spacing is 3 m. In dry areas, the trunk height should be set at 50 cm, while in places with better soil moisture it can be set at 60 cm.

Mountain apricot can be used to graft kernel apricot, either by cleft grafting or bud grafting, handled flexibly according to the actual situation. Among kernel apricot varieties, Chaoren, Youren, Fengren, Longwangmao and Yiwofeng are all relatively good. The three varieties Chaoren, Youren and Fengren are only suitable for areas with better fertilizer and water conditions, while Longwangmao and Yiwofeng have stronger adaptability and can still yield well on relatively poor hills. When planting the three varieties Chaoren, Youren and Fengren, another kernel apricot variety, Baiyubian, must be planted at the same time as a pollinizer, otherwise they will not bear fruit; the planting ratio of variety trees to pollinizer trees is 6:1. Longwangmao and Yiwofeng do not need a pollinizer.

Once kernel apricot enters full bearing, the woodland is no longer suitable for planting medicinal herbs; instead, some green manure crops can be grown among them to control the growth of weeds between the rows.

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