Detailed Explanation of Key Points in Panax notoginseng Cultivation and Processing Techniques

Panax notoginseng, also known as Tianqi, Tiansanqi, Shenqi, Sanshenqi, Shanqi, Jinbuhuan, Dianqi, etc., is a perennial herbaceous plant of the Araliaceae family. Its root is used as medicine; it is neutral in nature and sweet in taste. It functions to invigorate blood circulation and stop bleeding, reduce swelling and relieve pain. Cultivating the medicinal herb Panax notoginseng not only benefits agricultural structural adjustment but also helps farmers increase income.

I. Cultivation Techniques

1. Land preparation and basal fertilizer application: Choose sandy loam soil with relatively high terrain, wind-sheltered and sun-facing, deep soil layer, rich in humus, and good drainage. The previous crop should preferably be corn, peanuts, or legumes, and solanaceous crops must never be the previous crop. Plow repeatedly to about 20 cm to allow the soil to weather. On the final plowing, apply 5000 kg of decomposed barnyard manure, 50 kg of cake fertilizer, and 50 kg of ternary compound fertilizer per mu. Level and harrow finely, then make beds 1.2-1.5 m wide and 30-40 cm high, with 50-150 cm between beds, and the bed surface shaped like a tile back.

2. Seed selection and sowing, seedling raising and transplanting: (1) Seed selection and treatment. From October to November each year, select plump, pest-free, mature red fruits produced by 3-4 year old plants. Pick them, place them in a bamboo sieve, rub off the fruit skin, wash clean, and air-dry the surface moisture. Disinfect by soaking seeds in a 1000-fold dilution of 50% thiophanate-methyl for 10 minutes. Panax notoginseng seeds easily lose viability after drying, so they should be sown immediately after harvest, or preserved by stratification.

(2) Sowing. Use a row spacing of 6 cm x 5 cm, open shallow furrows for dibbling, cover with soil, and spread a layer of straw or similar material on the bed surface to keep it moist and suppress weed growth. Use 70,000-100,000 seeds per mu, equivalent to 10-12 kg of fruit. After sowing and watering, covering with silver-gray plastic film can help retain water, save fertilizer, and increase yield.

(3) Seedling stage management. During dry weather, water frequently; after rain, promptly clear ditches to drain accumulated water, and weed regularly. Fertilization during the seedling stage is generally based mainly on phosphorus and potassium fertilizers, usually applied 3 times, in March, May, and July respectively. The light transmittance of the seedling-stage shade canopy should be adjusted according to changes in light intensity across different seasons.

(4) Transplanting. Transplant after one year of seedling growth, generally completed from December to January of the following year. Lift seedlings, select seedlings, and transplant them at the same time. When lifting seedlings, strictly prevent damage to roots and bud scales. When selecting seedlings, remove diseased, damaged, and weak seedlings, and cultivate them by grade. Panax notoginseng seedlings are divided into 3 grades according to size and weight: 1000 roots weighing more than 2 kg are grade 1; 1.5-2 kg is grade 2; below 1.5 kg is grade 3. Transplanting row spacing is 15 cm x 15 cm.

3. Field management: (1) Weeding and earthing up. Panax notoginseng is a shallow-rooted crop, with roots mostly distributed in the top 15 cm of soil, so deep cultivation should be avoided to prevent root damage. After seedlings emerge, weeds on the bed surface should be removed promptly. While weeding, if rhizomes and roots are found exposed above the ground, soil should be earthed up.

(2) Watering and drainage. In dry seasons, water frequently to keep the bed surface moist. When watering, use sprinkling rather than pouring, otherwise plants may lodge. In the rainy season, especially after heavy rain, clear ditches promptly and drain accumulated water to prevent root rot.

(3) Building a shade shed and adjusting light transmittance. Panax notoginseng prefers shade, and artificial cultivation requires a shade shed. The shed height is 1.5-1.8 m, with side sheds built around it. Shed materials can be sourced locally; generally, wood or precast cement pieces are used as shed posts, wire is stretched across the top as crossbeams, and bamboo or similar materials are woven into squares to lay the shed roof covering. The amount of light transmitted through the shed has a close impact on the growth and development of Panax notoginseng. Too little light makes plants spindly and prone to pests and diseases, with fewer flowers and fruits; too much light causes leaves to turn yellow and prone to early wilting. The principle of "sparse in front, dense in the middle, sparse later" should be followed, that is, light transmittance is 60-70% in spring, 45-50% in summer, and as temperatures cool in autumn, light transmittance gradually expands to 50-60%.

(4) Topdressing. Follow the principle of "many times, small amounts." After seedlings sprout and emerge, broadcast plant ash 2-3 times, using 50-100 kg per mu each time, to promote robust seedling growth. In May-June, apply 2000 kg of high-quality organic fertilizer and 25-30 kg of ternary compound fertilizer per mu. After clearing the field in winter, apply 2500-3000 kg of farmyard manure per mu.

(5) Removing flower stalks. To concentrate nutrients for underground root growth, when flower stalks appear in July, remove all flower stalks on a sunny day when there is no dew.

(6) Pest and disease control. For damping-off, use a 1000-fold dilution of 70% thiophanate-methyl, or a 600-fold dilution of 72% kelü, or an 800-fold dilution of 58% metalaxyl-mancozeb. For phytophthora blight, spray with a 500-600-fold dilution of 70% mancozeb, or a 500-fold dilution of 64% sandofan. For aphids, spray with a 1000-fold dilution of 10% imidacloprid, or a 2000-fold dilution of 15% mieyaling. For red spider mites, spray with a 2000-fold dilution of 5% cascad, or a 3000-fold dilution of 9.5% manjisi, or a 1000-fold dilution of 10% liuyangmycin.

II. Harvesting and Processing

1. Harvesting: Generally, harvest after 3 or more years of cultivation. Those harvested before flowering in July-August are called "spring qi" and are of better quality. If flower stalks are removed in July, harvesting in October is even better, called "autumn qi." Those harvested from December to January of the following year after seeds mature and are collected are of poorer quality, called "winter qi." One week before harvest, cut off the stems 10 cm above the ground and dig out the entire root.

2. Processing: After harvest, wash off the soil, cut off the rhizome (sheep intestine head), branch roots, and fibrous roots; the remaining part is called the "head." Sun-dry the "head" for one day, then rub it for the first time to make it compact until completely dry; this is "rough goods." Place the "rough goods" in a gunny sack with coarse chaff or rice grains and shake back and forth to make the surface brown-black and shiny; this is the finished product. Alternatively, when the tuberous root is slightly soft, place it in an iron cylinder or wooden box and rotate and rub it to make the surface smooth and shiny. Rotate for 30 minutes each time, take it out and bake or sun-dry again, repeating 3-5 times to make the commercial product. If rainy weather occurs, dry at below 50°C.