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The cultivation and management technology of Chinese herbal medicine Astragalus
Astragalus membranaceus, commonly known as Huangqi, is a perennial herb widely used in traditional medicine. It typically yields 400-500 kilograms per mu and is considered a high-value crop. The plant stands about 40 cm tall, with pinnately compound leaves that are alternately arranged, featuring oval or oblong leaflets. Its flowers form racemes at the top of stems and branches, with butterfly-shaped corollas in pale yellow. The fruit is a semicircular capsule containing several brown seeds. The main root is slender, cylindrical, and ranges from yellow-brown to slightly woody, making it difficult to break.
Huangqi is highly adaptable, thriving in various soil types, including sandy or loamy soils. It is drought-tolerant and cold-resistant, capable of surviving winter outdoors. However, it does not tolerate waterlogging or heavy rainfall, so proper drainage is essential.
**Cultivation Techniques**
1. **Site Preparation**: Choose neutral or slightly alkaline sandy soil or surface sand land. Deep plowing to a depth of 30–40 cm is recommended. Apply 4,000 kg of organic manure per acre, along with 25 kg of diammonium Phosphate or 50 kg of phosphate fertilizer, and 50 kg of cake fertilizer. Mix the fertilizers into the soil thoroughly, then create ditches and level the field for planting.
2. **Seed Treatment**: Before sowing, use the boiling water germination method. Soak the seeds in boiling water for 1 minute while stirring, then add cold water to bring the temperature down to 40°C. Soak for 2 hours, drain, cover with a damp cloth, and let sit for 12 hours. Sow the seeds when they begin to swell or the seed coat cracks.
3. **Sowing**:
- **Timing**: Spring sowing between the Spring Festival and Qingming Festival, summer sowing before and after the Summer Solstice, and autumn sowing before and after the White Dew. Autumn-sown seeds may not germinate until the following year.
- **Rate**: Use 1.5–2 kg of seeds per mu.
- **Depth**: Create shallow furrows 3 cm deep, spaced 22 cm apart, and sow the seeds evenly. Cover lightly with soil.
4. **Field Management**: After sowing, avoid watering unless the soil is very dry. When seedlings have 4–5 leaves and reach 10 cm in height, thin them to 8–10 cm apart, aiming for a density of 25,000–35,000 plants per acre. Avoid excessive watering post-transplanting; keep the soil slightly dry and loose to promote root development. Water once in May, June, and September. Fertilize based on soil fertility: apply 15 kg of urea and 50 kg of fermented cake fertilizer, either at the seedling stage and early flowering or just at the early flowering stage if the soil is rich.
**Pest and Weed Control**
1. **Powdery Mildew**: During June–August, spray 20% Triadimefon, 20% Diflumetorim, 70% Thiophanate-methyl, or 70% Mancozeb diluted 500–800 times. Repeat every 7–10 days for 2–3 applications.
2. **Red Root Disease**: Spray 55% Chlorothalonil, 32% Streptomyces griseus, or 25.9% Trichoderma harzianum 500–800 times during the growing season. Apply 1–2 times every 7–10 days for prevention.
3. **Insect Pests**: Control soybean caterpillars and cotton bollworms using 0.2% Azithromycin or 20% insecticides diluted 1000–1500 times.
4. **Weed Control**: At the seedling stage, apply 48% Trifluralin EC at 0.1 kg per mu, mixed with 30 kg of water for spraying.
**Harvest and Processing**
1. **Seed Collection**: Harvest mature seeds in summer and autumn when the fruits turn brown. Collect the seeds, spread them under the sun, and thresh to remove impurities, insects, and foreign matter. Store in jars or cloth bags—avoid plastic to maintain viability.
2. **Root Harvesting**: After 2–3 years, harvest roots when the stems and leaves wither, typically around the Cold Dew or Frost Descent periods. Carefully dig up the roots, wash off the dirt, and dry them. Tie them into small bundles for medicinal use.