Konjac Planting Method

Konjac prefers cool climates and is a perennial herb of the genus Amorphophallus in the Araceae family. The tuber is oblate, with a diameter of up to 25 cm. The center of the top is concave and dark reddish brown. The konjac products that we usually eat are made from this part after post-processing. Let’s learn how to grow konjac .

1. Site selection and land preparation

Konjac has high requirements for environmental conditions such as light, temperature, water and fertilizer , so suitable land and soil must be selected for planting. Ideally, the soil should be deep, fertile, loose and well-drained, with a pH between slightly acidic and neutral (6.5-7). Gentle sloping land with loam, light loam or bubble soil containing a small amount of gravel is the best choice for growing konjac. Before sowing, the land should be cultivated in advance to remove debris such as stones, weeds and residual film.

2. Treatment of taro seeds

1. Seed taro production

Konjac cultivation requires sufficient seed taro, which must be disinfected to ensure that the seed taro is isolated from fertilizers, and pests and diseases must be prevented and controlled in time to eradicate diseased plants. Seed taro should be propagated locally, with self-propagation by taro farmers being the main approach. New growers need to develop seed taro first, and old growers should allocate corresponding taro planting areas to improve the quality and safety of seed taro. The ratio of seeds to field area is generally 1:3.

2. Disinfection of taro seeds

Disinfection of seed taro is a key step in eliminating pathogens on seed taro. It includes seed drying (spreading out seeds for 2 days before sowing) and seed soaking (soaking seeds in 500ppm streptomycin sulfate solution for 30 minutes), followed by sun drying and immediate sowing, or mixing seeds with stove ash and then sun drying before sowing. When conditions permit, the seedlings can be grown and germinated before being transplanted to the field.

3. Sowing method

When sowing, ensure that the seed taro is isolated from the fertilizer to avoid direct contact. First dig furrows and sow seeds, cover the soil and then apply manure to ensure the safe emergence of konjac. Spray agricultural streptomycin or Mengke bacteria after germination and before disease occurs as a preventive protective measure. Once diseased plants are found, they should be immediately dug out and buried deep, away from farmland , and disinfected with lime to prevent human transmission.

3. Scientific fertilization

Fertilization principles: Konjac is a tuber crop that is insensitive to chlorine. It likes fertilizer but is afraid of leanness, and it likes potassium but is afraid of chlorine. Potassium fertilizer is the most in demand, followed by nitrogen fertilizer, then phosphorus fertilizer and trace elements such as calcium, zinc, magnesium and manganese. Fertilization should be mainly based on base fertilizer, with heavy application of farmyard manure.

Base fertilizer management: For konjac fields with low soil fertility, apply more than 2,000 kg of farmyard manure per mu. According to the soil nutrient status, apply appropriate amounts of biological potash fertilizer, urea and superphosphate or calcium magnesium phosphate fertilizer.

Fertilizer selection: It is strictly forbidden to use diseased and residual farmyard manure and chemical fertilizers containing chlorine, and avoid excessive application of nitrogen fertilizers. Applying more organic fertilizer and less chemical fertilizer will help improve soil fertility and enhance the disease resistance of konjac.

Reasonable topdressing: According to the growth stage of konjac, apply seedling fertilizer and tuber enlargement fertilizer in time, and spray potassium dihydrogen phosphate solution on the leaves 2 to 3 times from August to September.

4. Field Management

1. Coverage management

After sowing, use crop stalks, pod shells, dead leaves and other covering materials to evenly cover the ground where the konjac is planted, achieving the standard of "no clumps of grass and no exposed ground". About 2,000 kilograms of covering materials are required per acre. Be sure to remove any non-rotted mulch after September.

2. Remove weeds

The root system of konjac is shallow. To avoid damaging the root system, weeds should be pulled out manually and avoid stepping on the ridge surface.

3. Ditch cleaning and soiling

Konjac is afraid of drought and waterlogging, so drainage needs to be checked regularly. Fine soil should be cultivated on the ridge surface in combination with ditch clearing. Soil should be cultivated 2 to 3 times during the growing period, which is conducive to the formation and expansion of bulbs.

5. Disease and Pest Control

1. Soft rot

Affects petioles, bulbs and leaves, causing the tissue to turn black, soften and develop a foul odor. Prevention and control measures include strengthening cultivation management, deep plowing and land preparation, drainage and ventilation, selecting seed taro without rot and wounds, and proper storage and transportation. Before sowing, you can use agricultural streptomycin solution to soak the taro seeds.

2. Sclerotium rot

Affects the base of the petiole, causing damage to the petiole or corm. Prevention and control measures include strengthening farmland management, draining stagnant water, avoiding continuous and intercropping with peanuts , Solanaceae and soybeans, and using Bordeaux liquid spray for disinfection.

3. Leaf blight

It mainly harms leaves. The pathogen overwinters in the soil and spreads with rain. Prevention and control measures are similar to those for soft rot.

4. Pests

The main insect pests include the sweet potato hawk moth, the konjac nematode, the bean hawk moth, etc. Prevention and control measures include removing weeds and dead leaves in winter and spring, intercropping corn in the fields, manual pest control, and the use of well-rotted farmyard manure.

The above is an introduction to the key points of konjac cultivation. Konjac prefers a relatively cool climate, so whether hot places are suitable for cultivation depends on the actual situation.