A Detailed Guide to Atractylodes macrocephala Planting Techniques and Cultivation Management
Atractylodes macrocephala (zhu), Latin scientific name Atractylodes macrocephala . Also known as fuji, yuzhu, winter atractylodes, xizhu, yangfu, wuzhu, pianzhu, cangzhu, etc., it is a perennial herbaceous plant of the Asteraceae family and the genus Atractylodes. It prefers a cool climate, and its rhizome is used as medicine, possessing multiple medicinal functions.
Cultivation Techniques
Land Preparation and Fertilization
For the seedling bed, choose slightly acidic sandy loam soil with moderate fertility, good drainage, and cool ventilation. Apply 2000 kg of farmyard manure per 667 sq m, plow deeply, harrow level and fine, and make beds 1.2 m wide. For the main field, choose fertile, well-ventilated, cool, well-drained sandy loam soil where atractylodes has not been grown for 5 years. The previous crop should preferably be a grass-family crop. After harvesting the previous crop, apply 3000 kg of farmyard manure per 667 sq m, along with 50 kg of superphosphate as base fertilizer, plow deeply to 20 cm, and make beds 1-1.5 m wide. [
Propagation Methods
Propagate by seed. In production, the seedling-raising and transplanting method is mainly used.
(1) Seedling raising: From late March to early April, select plump, pest-free new seeds, soak them in 30°C warm water for 1 day, then remove and sprout before sowing. Sow in rows or broadcast. For row sowing, before sowing, open furrows at a row spacing of 15 cm and a furrow depth of 4-6 cm, irrigate the furrows, sow the seeds in the furrows, cover with soil after sowing, press down lightly, cover the bed surface with grass to keep warm and moist, then water once more. Use 5-7 kg of seed per 667 sq m. Seedlings emerge 7-10 days after sowing; after emergence, remove the covering grass and strengthen field management. By the time of transplanting in winter, 400-600 kg of fresh atractylodes transplants can be cultivated per 667 sq m.
(2) Transplanting: Transplanting can be done from the winter of the same year to the spring of the following year. The best transplants are those that do not sprout leaves or flower in the current year, have robust main buds, and have small, neat rhizomes the size of apricot kernels. When transplanting, trim off the fibrous roots, open furrows 10 cm deep at a row spacing of 25 cm, place the seedlings in the furrows at a plant spacing of about 15 cm with the bud tips facing up and level with the ground surface. After planting, press down lightly on both sides and water. Generally, 50-60 kg of fresh atractylodes is needed per 667 sq m.
Field Management
(1) Management of the transplant field: After the seedlings emerge, weed promptly and thin the seedlings to a plant spacing of 4-6 cm. If the weather is dry, weed between the plants to reduce water evaporation. Where conditions allow, water in the morning and evening to combat drought. If bolting is found in the later growth stage, remove it promptly.
(2) Main field management
① Intertillage and weeding: From seedling emergence to May, there are many weeds in the field, so intertillage and weeding should be frequent. The first few intertillages can be deeper, and later ones should be shallow hoeing. After mid-May, the plants enter the vigorous growth period and generally no further intertillage is done; if there are weeds between the plants, they can be pulled by hand.
② Fertilization: Around the bud stage, topdress once; apply 20 kg of urea and 30 kg of compound fertilizer per 667 sq m in furrows between the rows, then cover with soil and water. One week after bud removal, topdress once more.
③ Irrigation and drainage: During the growth period, atractylodes needs sufficient water, especially during rhizome expansion, when water is even more needed. If drought occurs, irrigate promptly. If water accumulates after rain, drain it promptly.
④ Bud removal: The plants begin to form buds in mid-June. Generally, in early to mid-July, after budding and before flowering, remove the buds in batches. Bud removal helps increase the yield and quality of the atractylodes rhizome. Note that field operations such as weeding, fertilizing, and bud removal should all be carried out after the dew has dried.
⑤ Mulching with grass: In the high-temperature season of July, spread a layer of leaves, wheat bran, etc. on the soil surface to regulate soil temperature and help atractylodes survive the summer safely.
(3) Pests and diseases: Common ones include damping-off disease, leaf blight, southern blight (rhizome rot), root rot, rust, atractylodes seed worm, sclerotinia disease, mosaic disease, armyworm, aphids, root-knot nematodes, black cutworm, southern dodder, etc.
Pest and Disease Control
Atractylodes has relatively many pests and diseases. The common ones include the following.
(1) Damping-off disease Occurs easily under low temperature and high humidity, mostly in transplant fields, damaging the rhizome. Control methods: reduce field humidity; in the early stage of the disease, drench with a 1000-fold dilution of 50% carbendazim.
(2) Iron leaf disease, also called leaf blight. It begins in April and is especially severe from June to August, damaging the leaves. Control methods: remove diseased plants; in the early stage of the disease, use a 1:1:100 Bordeaux mixture, and in the later stage spray with a 1000-fold dilution of 50% thiophanate-methyl or carbendazim.
(3) Southern blight Also called rhizome rot. The onset period is the same as above, damaging the rhizome. Control methods: rotate with grass-family crops; remove diseased plants and disinfect the diseased holes with quicklime powder; disinfect the soil with Trichoderma harzianum before planting.
(4) Root rot Also called rotting root disease. The onset period is the same as above, and it is especially severe when humidity is high, damaging the roots. Control methods: breed resistant varieties; rotate with grass-family crops, or rotate between paddy and dryland; soak seeds in a 1000-fold dilution of 50% carbendazim for 5-10 minutes before planting; in the early stage of the disease, drench the affected area with a 1000-fold dilution of 50% carbendazim or 50% thiophanate-methyl. In areas with severe underground pest damage, drench with a 1000-1500-fold dilution of dimethoate or an 800-fold dilution of trichlorfon.
(5) Rust disease Begins in May, damaging the leaves. Control methods: clean the field; in the early stage of the disease, spray with a 1000-fold dilution of 25% triadimefon.
(6) Atractylodes seed worm: Begins in the early flowering stage, damaging the seeds. Control methods: plow deeply and freeze the soil; rotate between paddy and dryland; in the early flowering stage, spray with an 800-fold dilution of 80% dichlorvos.
In addition, there are also damages from sclerotinia disease, mosaic disease, aphids, root-knot nematodes, southern dodder, black cutworm, and so on.
(1) Damping-off disease Occurs easily under low temperature and high humidity, mostly in transplant fields, damaging the rhizome. Control methods: reduce field humidity; in the early stage of the disease, drench with a 1000-fold dilution of 50% carbendazim.
(2) Iron leaf disease, also called leaf blight. It begins in April and is especially severe from June to August, damaging the leaves. Control methods: remove diseased plants; in the early stage of the disease, use a 1:1:100 Bordeaux mixture, and in the later stage spray with a 1000-fold dilution of 50% thiophanate-methyl or carbendazim.
(3) Southern blight Also called rhizome rot. The onset period is the same as above, damaging the rhizome. Control methods: rotate with grass-family crops; remove diseased plants and disinfect the diseased holes with quicklime powder; disinfect the soil with Trichoderma harzianum before planting.
(4) Root rot Also called rotting root disease. The onset period is the same as above, and it is especially severe when humidity is high, damaging the roots. Control methods: breed resistant varieties; rotate with grass-family crops, or rotate between paddy and dryland; soak seeds in a 1000-fold dilution of 50% carbendazim for 5-10 minutes before planting; in the early stage of the disease, drench the affected area with a 1000-fold dilution of 50% carbendazim or 50% thiophanate-methyl. In areas with severe underground pest damage, drench with a 1000-1500-fold dilution of dimethoate or an 800-fold dilution of trichlorfon.
(5) Rust disease Begins in May, damaging the leaves. Control methods: clean the field; in the early stage of the disease, spray with a 1000-fold dilution of 25% triadimefon.
(6) Atractylodes seed worm: Begins in the early flowering stage, damaging the seeds. Control methods: plow deeply and freeze the soil; rotate between paddy and dryland; in the early flowering stage, spray with an 800-fold dilution of 80% dichlorvos.
In addition, there are also damages from sclerotinia disease, mosaic disease, aphids, root-knot nematodes, southern dodder, black cutworm, and so on.