Betel nut taro, also known as sweet taro, belongs to the genus Alocasia in the family Araceae. It is a high-quality vegetable with high starch content. The meat is delicate, has a special flavor, and is rich in nutrients. It contains crude protein, starch, multiple vitamins, inorganic salts and other ingredients. It has the effect of nourishing qi, nourishing the kidneys, and strengthening the spleen and stomach. It is not only an excellent raw material for making snacks and delicacies, but also a nutritional product that nourishes the body. So how are betel taro cultivated? What are some good methods for breeding? What matters need to be paid attention to when cultivating betel nut taro? Please read on with me if you have any questions! How to cultivate areca taro (basic knowledge):

Best propagation time: Areca taro is generally best planted from February to April.

Best soil for growing: Areca taro tolerates fertilizer, so fertile loamy soil with strong water-holding capacity should be selected.

Growth humidity requirements: Areca taro likes moisture and is relatively shade-tolerant. High temperature and rainy conditions are conducive to the growth of stems and leaves, and the yield is higher. Proper and frequent watering will help growth.

Optimum growth temperature: Areca taro is suitable for growing in a high-temperature environment. The bulbs begin to germinate at 13-15°C and require temperatures above 20°C during the growth period. When the temperature is between 27-30℃, the bulbs develop well.

Optimum light for growth: Betel nut taro loves light, so it should be planted in a place with a mild climate and sufficient light. Precautions for cultivating areca taro:

Spreading fertilizer: Fertilizer for betel taro seedlings can be applied after the seedlings are ready. Apply 7.5 to 10 kilograms of superphosphate and 5 to 7.5 kilograms of urea per mu, every 10 ~Apply once every 15 days. When the seedlings are 25--30 cm tall, apply pig and cow manure around the inner edge of the hole. In late May, apply the first large amount of fertilizer, applying 30 tons of human excrement and urine per mu; apply the second large amount of fertilizer in late June, applying 30 tons of human excrement and urine or 60 pounds of urea per mu; from late July to early August The third time of heavy fertilizer application was made in the middle of the trench, with 200 kilograms of compound fertilizer and 50 kilograms of lime applied per mu, and then the fertilization was stopped.

Watering points: After the betel nut taro is planted, the taro field must be well drained, and water accumulation in the hole is strictly prohibited. Taro seedlings grow rapidly from July to September and cannot be short of water. During drought, they require night irrigation and day drainage, so that water enters half of the furrows and the ridges are moist. The soil moisture content is maintained at 85--90{bf}. Drainage is done 15 days before harvest. Dry field water for harvest storage.

Soil preparation: Areca taro soil is one of the important measures for a high yield of betel taro. It can promote the occurrence of adventitious roots, improve drought resistance, inhibit the growth of terminal buds, and is conducive to the development and enlargement of bulbs. The soil is generally cultivated 4-5 times throughout the growth period and gradually thickened. The first 2-3 times of soil cultivation should be combined with cultivating and weeding, and the soil should be thin; the last two times of soil cultivation should be combined with the 2-3 times of fertilization; finally, all the soil in the border and between the plants should be cultivated around the taro plants to make the taro border become Double ridges with undulating heights.

Key points for propagation: Areca taro is propagated using tissue culture methods.

1. Disinfect the explants first;

2. Detoxify using the shoot tip detoxification method;

3. Inoculate onto the culture medium for propagation into a complete plant.

Disease and pest control: The main diseases of betel taro include taro blight and taro rot, which mostly occur from April to July. Among them, taro blight is more serious. When fly-like black spots are found on taro stalks near the ground, spraying should be carried out in time to prevent the disease from spreading upward. To treat taro blight, use 25% erythromycin 600 times solution or 40% ethyl aluminum 200 times solution or 75% chlorothalonil 600 times solution. For taro soft rot, use 72{bf} agricultural streptomycin sulfate 3000 times or 77{bf ｝It can kill 1000 times, spray once every 7 to 10 days, and spray 2 to 3 times continuously. Insect pests: mainly include aphids, Spodoptera litura, etc., which can be controlled by spraying with 40% dimethoate 800 times liquid or 50% trichlorfon 800 times liquid. Growing areca taro hydroponically:

Areca taro hydroponics: tools/materials: areca taro, non-porous flower pots, towels, and your patience and care

1. Select areca taro

This step is very important. You can go to the vegetable market to buy it when you have time! The best shape of betel nut taro is round.

2. Germination

Place the betel nut taro in a non-porous container, add water to one-third of the container, cover the betel nut taro with a towel wet with water, and the towel should be fully covered. Put it inside the container. This is to create a good environment for areca nut taro to germinate. A moist environment is suitable for germination, and the towel can be removed at night.

Repeat the betel nut taro and it will sprout! (Under normal circumstances, 3-8 days)

3. Planting

You can choose hydroponics (those with mysophobia can choose glass hydroponics) or soil cultivation , we choose hydroponics here. Put the betel nut taro into a glass, add water, and place it in a ventilated place away from the scorching sun. Just wait! Experience in cultivating areca taro:

Betel nut taro is seeded with small bulbs. The remaining small taro seeds should meet the requirements of high yield, high quality, uniform size, each weighing about 50 grams, and free of diseases and pests. No harm, no human trauma, healthy and strong standards for young shoots.

① Place it in the soil without digging it out, let it survive the winter in the original soil, and then dig it out and transplant it when it sprouts in the spring of the second year.

② When harvesting areca taro in winter, separate the small taro and dry it naturally, then store it in a cellar with leeward direction, sunny location, high dry terrain, and no water accumulation for overwintering. In areas with higher temperatures in winter, the seeds can also be buried in moist fine sand in the wild with leeward direction and sunny, high and dry terrain. For taro seeds stored in cellars, attention should be paid to ventilation, cooling and humidification in the early stage. In the later stage, attention should be paid to heat preservation and anti-freezing, and at the same time, attention should be paid to preventing rodent damage. Main uses of betel nut taro

Betel nut taro is rich in nutrients and contains a large amount of starch, minerals and vitamins. It is both a vegetable and a grain. It can be cooked, dried or milled. Since the starch particles of areca taro are small, only one-tenth of potato starch, its digestibility can reach 98.8%. In terms of taro processing, it can be made into taro powder and taro paste filling to extend the storage.

Betel nut taro can also be used as an ornamental plant similar to Philodendron and Dieffenbachia. There are approximately 100 different varieties of taro; some are oval-shaped like a sweet potato, while others are mostly round. Areca taro has less strange shapes than other tuber plants. Areca taro can grow up to 6 feet tall and has broad leaves; however, the young shoots are edible after being blanched in boiling water. However, the leaves and shoots are less useful in Western markets. The tuber part is dark brown, the outer skin is ring-shaped and quite rough, and there are hairs on it. The pulp is white, off-white and purple-grey, and some have pink or brown textures.