Three key points for high-yield cultivation of Gastrodia elata

In recent years, as the area devoted to Gastrodia elata production has shrunk sharply while market demand keeps rising, the price of Gastrodia elata has shown a continuously upward trend. Recently many growers have called to inquire about cultivation techniques for Gastrodia elata. A reporter interviewed Gastrodia elata expert Professor Cao Debin of the Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences on this topic. The key points of high-yield cultivation techniques for Gastrodia elata are introduced here, in the hope of being helpful to the many Gastrodia elata growers.

1. Armillaria must be "three new"

1. New technology: new methods to obtain new strains. The new method uses the latest biotechnology to detoxify the strains, and this is by far the most advanced method of obtaining strains. Among traditional Armillaria strains, those obtained by tissue isolation or spore isolation have the best effect; ordinary units or individuals mostly use purchased mother cultures for subculturing and expansion, so the cultivation effect is poor.

2. New strains: pure isolated strains within three generations are required. The pure isolated strains referred to in this article are Armillaria strains detoxified using the latest biotechnology; three generations means the first detoxified generation of Armillaria strain is subcultured only once, that is, used to make secondary and tertiary spawn, and no further expansion is carried out. Traditional Armillaria strains are not detoxified, and because of the need for quantity they are continuously expanded and cultured, some even subcultured without limit, which reduces strain vigor; in severe cases the strain characteristics degenerate, and after being used in production the hyphae and rhizomorphs inevitably cannot meet the needs of Gastrodia elata growth, so the cultivation result can be imagined.

3. New log material: for cultivating log material, oak wood of the current year should be used together with detoxified Armillaria strains. After inoculation, about 4 months are needed for the hyphae to penetrate into the xylem beneath the oak bark. On the surface, the bark is firm and shows no shedding; when split open for inspection, the hyphae beneath the bark are dense, indicating successful cultivation, and planting can then proceed. When directly using Armillaria strains and cut logs for cultivation, the amount of strain used is slightly larger and the effect is the same. It should be noted that the cut logs should be from broadleaf tree species; pine, fir, cypress, camphor and similar species must not be used, and soft-tissued species such as poplar and paulownia should be avoided as much as possible. Log material that has been used for more than one year can be used as an interval material for transmitting hyphae, and should not be used directly as cultivation material.

2. Seed corms must be "three high"

1. High technical content: the latest technology now is sexual hybridization of Gastrodia elata, and hybrid vigor can give people ideal production results; traditional seed corms are mostly just small cormlets produced by "passing from generation to generation", so it is difficult to achieve good cultivation results.

2. High survival rate: this is one of the primary conditions. The seed corms are best white corms, preferably 10-50 g each; most importantly, the individual must be complete, with no mechanical damage, no disease spots, no pests, and so on. When observed against strong light, the seed corm should be transparent throughout with no shadow attached.

3. High corm yield: this is the final result of hybrid Gastrodia elata seed corms. Ordinary seed corms generally have low yield; a maximum harvest of 5 kg is already good, while hybrid seed corms can generally reach more than 20 kg, or even higher.

3. Cultivation must be "three musts"

1. A good site must be chosen: the ideal cultivation site should be warm and moist, not cold and dry or waterlogged. Generally, wild wasteland, gaps in woods, shady hillsides and sandy soil land can be used, and indoor spaces, basements, cave dwellings, courtyards and vacant land shaded by vines can also be fully used for cultivation. In short, by artificially creating an environment suitable for Gastrodia elata growth, Gastrodia elata can be cultivated in any region.

2. Scientific management is required: Gastrodia elata cultivation techniques are relatively simple, and people of any education level can learn the basic operations. After sowing Gastrodia elata, management involves only humidity and temperature, but scientific management must be adhered to. The specific cultivation management should be as follows: first, the site soil must maintain a certain moisture content, and water should be applied promptly during drought; second, the temperature in the cultivation bed (pond) should not exceed 28°C; third, water must be controlled, and ditches should be cleared for drainage during continuous rain; finally, a shed should be built for shade to avoid high-temperature corm rot.

3. Timely harvest is required: practice has proved that timely harvesting is a very important link, but in Gastrodia elata cultivation this point is often easily overlooked, ultimately leading to situations such as "hollow corms". Generally, Gastrodia elata cultivated after November must be harvested after one year; for spring-planted Gastrodia elata, the harvest time should not be delayed either, so as to avoid corm rot and insect damage, because once bolting occurs, it has no commercial value.