High-yield and high-quality cultivation techniques of Zizania latifolia

Zizania latifolia , also known as water bamboo shoots, is a perennial aquatic herb that prefers a warm and humid climate and adapts to an environment where the minimum spring temperature is not lower than 3°C and the minimum water temperature is above 4°C. It requires plenty of sunlight and air circulation, and must not be deprived of water during the entire growing period. Let’s learn about the high-yield and high-quality cultivation techniques of茭白 below.

1. Wild rice's requirements for environmental conditions

1. Light: Zizania latifolia needs plenty of sunlight and does not like to be shaded. As a short-day plant, it can only form wild rice well after the daylight hours are reduced. Some varieties retain this trait, while others are insensitive to day length and can form wild rice under different day length conditions.

2. Temperature:茭白 begins to sprout when the temperature is above 5℃. The suitable temperature for its growth is 15-30℃, and the suitable temperature for its formation is 15-25℃. When the temperature drops below 5°C, the above-ground parts will quickly wither, while the roots will hibernate in the soil over the winter.

3. Water: As a shallow water crop, wild rice requires sufficient water during the growing period, and the soil must be kept moist during the dormant period. From germination to the formation of茭白, the water level should be gradually increased from 5cm to 25cm to promote the whitening of茭白. After that, the water level should be gradually lowered to keep the soil moist through the winter.

4. Soil and fertilizer : The soil layer must be at least 20cm deep, with an organic matter content of at least 1.5%. Clay loam or loam is preferred, and the soil pH should be between slightly acidic and neutral. Fertilizers should be mainly nitrogen and potassium, with an appropriate amount of phosphorus fertilizer. The ratio of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium is usually 1:0.8:1-1.2.

2. Cultivation technology of wild rice stem

1. Field and variety selection: Choose paddy fields or rice fields with convenient drainage and irrigation and fertile soil. The maximum water level in the field should not exceed 40cm. Choose appropriate varieties according to local market demand and climatic conditions.

2. Land preparation and application of basal fertilizer: After clearing the previous crop, apply basal fertilizer, plow and harrow evenly, and fill with about 4 cm of shallow water to level the field, ensuring that the field is flat, the soil is fine, and there is sufficient fertilizer.

3. Planting: Planting is usually done in spring. When the local temperature reaches above 12℃ and the new seedlings grow to about 30cm and have 3-4 leaves, they are planted. This is usually mid-April in the Yangtze River Basin. Before planting, dig the seedlings from the seed field and divide them into small mounds. Each mound has 3-5 healthy tillering seedlings and is planted immediately. If it is imported from other places, you need to pay attention to moisturizing. If planting is late and the seedling height exceeds 50cm, you can cut off the leaf tips before planting. The row spacing is 80cm, the hole spacing is 65cm, and the density is adjusted according to soil fertility.

4. Management of autumn茭: Whether it is one-ripe or two-ripe茭, only autumn茭 is produced in the year of planting, and the field management is basically the same. Early irrigation should be shallow, maintaining a 4-5 cm water layer; gradually deepen to 10 cm in the later stage of tillering, and deepen to 12-15 cm during high temperatures in July and August to lower the ground temperature and promote the formation of茭. But the water level should not exceed the "茭白眼". During the harvest of autumn茭, as the temperature turns cooler, the water level should be gradually lowered, and after harvest, the water level should be shallowed to 3-5cm, and finally overwinter in shallow water or in a humid state.

5. Top dressing: Water chestnut grows rapidly and requires multiple top dressings. The first topdressing is done after the plants turn green, with 20 kg/mu of high-nitrogen compound fertilizer . Apply the second topdressing after 10-15 days to promote early tillering, and apply 10-15 kg/mu of high-nitrogen compound fertilizer. Before the rice seedlings are conceived, apply 20-25 kg/mu of compound fertilizer mainly composed of potassium and nitrogen. The new茭 planted in early autumn has a short growing period and only needs to be top-dressed once 10-15 days after planting, with 40-50 kg/mu of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium compound fertilizer applied.

6. Weeding and field management: Weeding should be carried out 2-4 times from the time the plants survive to the time the plants are closed in the field to avoid damaging the roots of water chestnuts. During the hot summer season, remove the yellow leaves at the base of the plants to promote ventilation and light transmission and reduce the temperature between plants. After the above-ground part of the plant dies in winter, cut off the dead stems and leaves, keep the field clean and the soil moist through the winter. When the temperature drops below -5℃, water should be applied in time to prevent freezing.

7. Harvesting: The harvesting period of autumn茭 usually starts when the temperature drops below 25℃. In the Yangtze River Basin, it is mostly in early September and can last until November. Since the time it takes for individual plants in a茭 mound to conceive is different, they need to be harvested multiple times, generally once every 5-7 days, and once every 3-4 days during the peak harvest period. Harvesting must be timely. Harvesting too early or too late will affect the quality of茭白. Generally, the best harvesting time is when it turns white.

The above is an introduction to the key points of water chestnut cultivation techniques. If you want to grow water chestnuts, you need to meet environmental conditions and master comprehensive management methods.