As the saying goes, "the mother is big and fat, and good seedlings can be planted." With good seedlings, high yield, high quality and safe and effective medication can be guaranteed. Therefore, seeds and seedlings must be carefully identified, and we must distinguish between authenticity and pros and cons. At present, there is no monopoly on seeds and seedlings of Chinese herbal medicines in China, and the quality of seeds and seedlings is uneven, and there are many people who confuse the real with the fake. If fennel seeds can be used as Bupleurum seeds, spinach seeds can be used as Rhizoma arisaematis; The bulbs of narcissus, lily and Lycoris radiata are used as bulbs of saffron, and the more expensive varieties are, the easier it is to be counterfeited. Drug farmers can subscribe to relevant newspapers and magazines before buying seeds, or buy some professional books from bookstores to understand the internal shape, color and structure of the seeds they buy. For example, Ophiopogon japonicus is spherical, Codonopsis pilosula is oblate and brown, Astragalus membranaceus seeds are kidney-shaped and yellow, and Platycodon grandiflorum seeds are oval and brown. By consulting relevant information or consulting experts other than experienced drug farmers or seed suppliers, we can obtain relevant identification knowledge in time and clarify the source, which can prevent the risks brought by seed selection errors to a certain extent.
Second, understand the reproductive mode of medicinal plants.
The propagation methods of Chinese herbal medicines can usually be divided into two categories: one is seed propagation (also called sexual reproduction); One is to propagate by using vegetative organs such as roots, stems and leaves of plants (also called vegetative propagation and asexual propagation). Such as Chrysanthemum, Salvia Miltiorrhiza, Scrophularia, Rehmannia glutinosa, Pinellia ternata, Rhizoma Arisaematis, Flos Lonicerae, Radix Pseudostellariae, Radix Paeoniae Alba, Radix Ophiopogonis, Fritillaria, Rhizoma Dioscoreae, Lily, Polygonatum odoratum, etc. Most of them reproduce asexually in production. In the production of this medicinal material, the authenticity of the seedlings will not have much problem. The main thing to pay attention to is whether there are rotten seedlings in the size of seedlings and whether there are pests quarantined by the state. It is very important to master the propagation methods of various medicinal materials. For example, some people use bag recycling as bait to sell saffron "seeds". In fact, saffron is propagated by bulbs, and what seeds are sold is unknown. Another example is Atractylodes macrocephala, you can buy your own seeds and raise your own seedlings. Some people sell seedlings under the guise of contracts and make huge profits, which invisibly increases the production cost.
Third, understand the types and characteristics of drugs and choose varieties according to local conditions.
At present, there are many seeds of medicinal materials, and the growing environment conditions and utilization methods of different varieties are different. Medicinal materials produced by drug farmers are special commodities for treating diseases, and their quality directly determines the effect of clinical treatment. When selecting varieties, drug farmers should first examine whether the varieties are suitable for local climate conditions, soil conditions, irrigation and drainage conditions, and the special requirements of varieties' growth habits. Don't believe the lie that "it can be planted in the north and south, which is suitable for the whole country, and it is easy to plant and manage without selecting soil". According to the growth habits of different Chinese herbal medicines, intercropping of long and short medicines should be arranged for grain medicine, fruit medicine and forest medicine, so as to make full and rational use of land and improve economic benefits. For example, Arisaema arisaematis and Pinellia ternata like humid environment, and corn, pepper and sesame can be intercropped at their boundaries; Fenugreek and Scutellaria baicalensis can be planted between Eucommia ulmoides and Ginkgo biloba. Salvia miltiorrhiza has a long seedling stage and can interplant tall crops such as early corn in the border. Eucommia ulmoides Oliv., Cornus officinalis L. and Evodia rutaecarpa L. can be planted in hilly land, which not only afforests barren hills, but also makes farmers rich. Planting ginkgo biloba, Eucommia ulmoides, peony and honeysuckle on both sides of roads and streets can not only play a greening and ornamental role, but also harvest medicinal materials. In a large area of coastal beaches, medicinal materials with certain salt tolerance can be selected for planting, such as chrysanthemum, Vitex negundo, Salvia miltiorrhiza and mint. Ecological principle of introducing and planting varieties: try to plant local authentic medicinal varieties. These varieties have no problem in adaptability, but also have cultivation techniques and market foundation. We must be cautious about newly introduced varieties.
Four, understand the market information, choose marketable varieties.
"When you are young, you are a treasure, and when you are old, you are a root grass", which is a vivid metaphor for farmers' friends about the benefits and risks that Chinese herbal medicine cultivation can bring. In order to get accurate information, we should first pay attention to distinguish the true and false advertisements, and don't be deceived by the rhetoric of false advertisements. Most drug farmers are eager to get rich and like to temporarily plant higher-priced varieties in the market, but the income is often unsatisfactory. Experts believe that information should be collected from the following aspects: 1. Relevant newspapers, magazines and professional books; 2. Medicinal materials market; 3. Origin of medicinal materials; 4. Government departments and relevant statistical departments; 5. Foreign trade import and export departments; 6. Relevant scientific research departments; 7. Relevant industry insiders and experts. Pay close attention to the price changes of Chinese herbal medicines, comprehensively analyze the authoritative information collected above, verify the facts, get rid of the rough and the fine, get rid of the false and keep the true, and find the varieties and opportunities for planting Chinese herbal medicines with good benefits.
5. Know the expiration date of seeds
The shelf life of many Chinese herbal medicine seeds is very short, and the germination rate of seeds beyond the age limit is very low. In order to make huge profits, some illegal elements in the seed market sell medicinal seeds, some of which are old seeds with no germination ability or low germination rate, and some are hybrids that deliberately mix new and old seeds. The results of many experiments show that the water content of seeds is reduced by 65,438+0% in the range of 5% ~ 65,438+04%, which can prolong the life of seeds by 65,438+0 times, but a few seeds, such as Asarum, Coptis chinensis and Ginseng, are not tolerant to dry storage and should be stored in wet storage. The seeds belonging to wet storage type also include betel nut, nutmeg, cinnamon, clove, agarwood and other southern medicines. Different kinds of medicinal plants have different germination years, which is related to their own genetic characteristics and storage conditions. The germination period of most medicinal seeds is 2 ~ 4 years, such as burdock, coix lachryma, milk thistle, platycodon grandiflorum, safflower and so on. In the production of medicinal materials, special attention should be paid to those seeds with short validity, such as Codonopsis pilosula, Atractylodes macrocephala, Scutellaria baicalensis, Kansui, Angelica sinensis, Glehnia littoralis, Radix Angelicae Dahuricae and Bupleuri Radix. , short life, its storage life can not exceed 65,438+0 years. The harvested seeds must be sown in the spring and summer of the current year or the following year, and cannot be sown beyond the time limit. Under normal circumstances, seeds that age every other year basically lose their germination ability. In addition, when buying seeds, pay attention to the appearance of seeds. The seeds of that year were shiny, shiny and fragrant, while the seeds of the next year were gray and musty.
Six, understand the correct method of seed storage and use.
Although some medicinal seeds are new, if the seed storage technology is incorrect, there will still be low germination rate or no germination. For example, the seed coat of andrographis paniculata has a layer of wax, which is impermeable to water and needs to be rubbed and soaked with warm water; The seeds of Astragalus membranaceus and Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch are hard, and kneading and soaking can improve the germination rate. More attention should be paid to some seeds with long dormancy period, such as peony, Huang Lian, American ginseng, yew, etc., and low-temperature sand storage stratification can be used.
Seven, understand the quality of seeds and seedlings.
Good quality seeds are pure, consistent, full and complete, free from pests and weeds, with high germination rate and vigor, and strong resistance to stress and pests.
When buying seeds and seedlings, we must do a good job of quality identification in advance, including: 1000-grain weight (or 100-grain weight of big seeds), purity, water content, color and fragrance, germination rate, etc. If it does not meet the standard, it means that the seeds are poorly developed and cannot be used as seeds for sowing. Generally speaking, germination test is an effective method to test seed quality. During the experiment, under the premise of correct sowing, we should also pay attention to germination conditions, such as low germination temperature and high temperature affecting germination. At the same time, we should have a correct understanding of the seed germination rate of some medicinal materials, such as Bupleurum chinense and Angelica dahurica, and even new seeds, the germination rate is very low. At the same time, when purchasing and transporting, it is necessary to go through the quarantine of the seed quarantine department to understand the diseases and pests in the place of origin and the health status of the seeds and seedlings, so as to prevent the seeds and seedlings with diseases and pests from affecting the benefits of planting medicinal materials.
Eight, understand the price of seeds and seedlings.
Some seed suppliers sell real seeds with good quality, but the price is surprisingly high. For example, the price of safflower seeds that can be bought in 20 yuan per kilogram is as high as 30 ~ 80 yuan; The seed of Isatis indigotica is 80 ~ 200 yuan per kilogram, the seed of Platycodon grandiflorum is per kilogram 100 ~ 400 yuan, and the chrysanthemum seedling is 0.54 yuan per plant. Some simply play word games and often sell seeds in batches, ranging from tens to hundreds of yuan per seed. However, how much land can be planted per seed, but the sowing amount is often explained by "three-point whole planting". In general, it is normal for most Chinese herbal medicines to spend 100 ~ 300 yuan and 150 ~ 500 yuan per mu. The total investment of seeds and seedlings per mu shall not exceed 300 ~ 500 yuan per year.
Nine, buy seeds and seedlings from legal seed business households.
When purchasing seeds and seedlings for planting Chinese medicinal materials, you must go to a professional research department or seed business unit with good reputation, long-term promotion of planting Chinese medicinal materials, seed business license, formal and reliable seed business license and strong economic strength to buy packaged seeds. Unpackaged bulk seeds are easily adulterated by illegal traders, and it is difficult to recover them afterwards. Check the packaging mark and internal and external labels at the same time. The label shall include the following items: origin, seed business license number, variety name, variety characteristics (including cultivation points), seed quality (including purity, purity, germination rate and water content), quarantine certificate number, quantity (net content), production date, sales unit, etc. If the label is incomplete, its quality is difficult to guarantee. You can also open the seed package and check whether the cleanliness, dryness, humidity, color and smell of the seed meet the requirements and whether there are traces of insects. When purchasing varieties that you have not planted, you should consult the relevant experts or departments specializing in the cultivation and promotion of Chinese herbal medicines in advance. Don't buy new, exotic and special seeds without knowing the situation, because these seeds have not been tested in practice, and blind purchase will greatly increase the production risk.
Ten, have the right to claim compensation for the infringement of fake and shoddy seeds and seedlings.
Drug farmers have the right to claim compensation from the infringer for buying and using fake and inferior seeds in the following seven ways: ① they can hold the seed purchase invoice and seed packaging bag to reflect the situation to the seed sales unit for consultation; (2) If both parties fail to negotiate, they can complain to the local consumers' association for mediation; (3) You can appeal to the seed management organization (seed quality inspection and supervision station or seed management station) established by the local agricultural authorities at or above the county level, and ask for treatment; (4) You can complain to the local quality supervision and management department (Technical Supervision Bureau); (5) Complain to the local administrative department for industry and commerce (AIC) to protect their legitimate rights and interests; 6. When seed operators and seed consumers have objections to the authenticity and quality of seeds, they shall apply to seed inspection institutions at or above the county level for arbitration; All landowners seed quality disputes cannot be resolved through the above methods, can bring a lawsuit to the people's court according to law.
In addition, we should pay attention to the preservation of the following evidence: seed purchase vouchers, certificates, seeds in kind or packaging bags, audio and video recordings, witness testimony, statements of the parties, conclusions of seed authenticity identification, inspection transcripts and on-site transcripts. When signs of damage are found, the relevant departments should be asked to identify, take photos and collect evidence in time, and the agricultural science and technology department and the judicial department should be asked to collect evidence and make an appraisal conclusion.