Five Key Measures for High-Yield Cultivation of Pinellia ternata

Pinellia ternata, also known as three-leaf pinellia, three-step jump, and hemp jade fruit, uses its tubers for medicinal purposes and is a commonly used Chinese medicinal herb. To achieve high yield in artificial cultivation of Pinellia ternata, the following measures must be taken:

1. Pre-planting sprouting, mulching during seedling stage. Pinellia ternata is generally sown in spring from February to April. Since temperatures are relatively low at this time and seed tubers sprout slowly, seed tubers should be pre-sprouted before planting. Sprout indoors using a hotbed, maintaining the sprouting temperature at around 20°C, and sprouts will emerge in 15 days; alternatively, build a plastic shed outdoors for sprouting at 20-25°C, treating continuously for 15 days, and when the sprout sheaths turn white, sprouting is complete. After sowing, cover with plastic film; the film only needs to cover the rows where seed tubers are planted, and it should be removed once seedlings emerge uniformly.

2. Timely drainage and irrigation, timely topdressing. Pinellia ternata prefers moisture, tolerates fertilizer, and fears waterlogging. Before planting, irrigate the planting site once thoroughly to promote seedling emergence. During the seedling growth period, keep the soil moist; water promptly during drought, and drain promptly during the rainy season to avoid seedling death from waterlogging in the field. Fertilizer should be mainly farmyard manure. In addition to applying sufficient base fertilizer, topdressing should be done twice during the growth period. The first time is from late May to early June, when bulbils grow on the inner side of the lower petiole; apply 2000 kg of decomposed human and animal manure and 25 kg of decomposed cake fertilizer per mu between the rows; the second time is in August after the plants die back, when new buds appear on the daughter pinellia tubers and the mother pinellia tubers shed their shells and grow new roots; mix 20 kg of decomposed cake fertilizer, 15 kg of superphosphate, and 10 kg of urea evenly per mu and apply beneath the plant crowns, combining fertilization with earthing up around the crowns.

3. Choose semi-shaded slope land or intercrop with tall-stem crops. Pinellia ternata is a shade-tolerant crop that grows well and yields high under shaded conditions. Therefore, the planting site should be chosen as semi-shaded gentle slope land, or intercropped (relay-cropped) with young fruit trees, corn, @#@245@#@, and other crops.

4. Remove flower buds. About 2 months after sowing, Pinellia ternata plants will successively bolt and flower, which easily consumes nutrients. Therefore, except for those reserved for seed, flower buds should be removed in batches in a timely manner, so that nutrients are concentrated in the underground tubers, accelerating tuber growth and benefiting yield increase.

5. Delay plant dieback. Pinellia ternata will show natural dieback when exposed to high temperatures and strong light, and stop growing. Therefore, delaying plant dieback is an important measure for high yield of Pinellia ternata. According to production experience, in cultivation, in addition to taking appropriate shading and sprinkler irrigation measures to reduce light intensity and air temperature, a 0.01% sodium sulfite solution can also be sprayed in an appropriate amount to inhibit plant respiration, thereby shortening the dieback period or reducing the number of diebacks, achieving the purpose of increasing yield.