(Cao Beisheng, Lu Ziqiang)

The gorgonian (Euryale ferox Salisb.) is also known as gorgonian, chicken head rice. It is a large annual aquatic herb of the Water Lily family. Native to East Asia, cultivated and wild. Distributed in the northeast and Hebei, Henan, Shandong, Jiangsu, Anhui, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Hubei, Hunan, Sichuan, Guizhou and other provinces, of which Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Anhui and other provinces with a larger area. The seed kernel, root and leaves are used as medicine. Seed kernel contains a lot of starch, protein, fat and trace calcium, phosphorus, iron, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin C and carotene. In addition also contains saponins. Seed kernel of Gorgon fruit: sweet taste, flat nature; beneficial to the kidneys to consolidate the essence, tonifying the spleen to stop diarrhea function; used for spermatorrhea, leucorrhoea, diarrhea, urinary frequency, enuresis. Root: salty taste, sweet, flat and non-toxic; for hernia, leucorrhea. Leaf: sweet, neutral and non-toxic; promoting blood circulation, treating postpartum uterine insufficiency.

I. Morphological Characteristics

The root is beard-like, 90-120cm long, deep into the soil. The stem is short. Leaves are attached to the shortened stem, and are successively drawn from the outside to the inside of the circumference of the stem. Petiole long, densely needle spines; primary leaves arrow-shaped, transitional leaves peltate, basal dehiscence into two pieces, 6-9cm long, 3-6cm wide, submerged, leaf surface smooth; grow large leaves, diameter up to 1.0-1.8m, leaf surface green, with folds, leaf abaxial purplish-red, reticulate veins raised. Flowers terminal, submerged, half-exposed or protruding from water, half-open, pedicels thorny. Calyx 4 segments, outside green spiny, inside purplish; petals numerous, purple to lavender; stamens numerous, arranged in whorls of 3-6, whorls; pistils polycarpous, united into a compound pistil, stigma discoid, saucy-red, embedded in receptacle tip, ovary inferior, generally 14-18-loculed. The fruit is globose, pointed at the anterior end, resembling a chicken head. There are 160-200 seeds in each fruit. Seeds suborbicular, externally with a thin film-like aril with red spots (Figs. 15-31).

Figure 15-31 Morphological diagram of gorgonian

1. plant 2. seedling 3. flower 4. abaxial surface of leaf

Two, biological characteristics

Gorgonian like warm water and humidity, intolerance of cold and drought. The suitable temperature for growth is 20-30 ℃, the full growth period of 180-300 days. Suitable for water depth of 30-90cm, requires fertile soil, containing more organic matter soil.

Gorgonian mature seeds such as no suitable germination conditions, can remain dormant in the water for a long time, life expectancy of up to 5 years or more. mid-April, when the average temperature reaches 15 ℃ or more, the seeds in the water began to sprout, 15-20 days sprouting, sprouting stems from the germination holes protruding diagonally upward, leaflet stems occurring fibrous roots, the formation of seedlings, only 6-7cm high. 6-7cm. 1.5-2.0cm of shallow water is required at this time so that the seedlings can be exposed to sunlight in the water and strive for early emergence.

Early May, the temperature reaches 20-25 ℃, the plant from the shortened stem to the soil roots, upward draw 3-4 transitional leaves, and then gradually drawn out to grow large leaves. At this time the water layer to 30cm is appropriate.

After June, the temperature is gradually higher, the average temperature of 20-30 ℃ plants into the vigorous growth period, the diameter of the leaf blade to 90-120cm. petiole thick, root system expansion, resistance to enhance. At this time, the maximum water level should not exceed 120cm. the most avoided layer of water soaring flooded plants, or long-term drought, affecting the flowering and fruiting.

July-August, when the number of plant leaves no longer increase, the new leaf growth is slow, the pedicel from the center of the shortened stems one after another, each plant successively **** can bloom 15-20. Self-pollination, after the flower bends into the water to develop, from flowering to fruit maturity, about 35-45 days. Flowering and fruiting period, the requirements of the average temperature of 20-30 ℃, the water level of 30-90cm, such as the temperature is lower than 15 ℃, the fruit can not mature. After the fruit is fully ripe, the husk rots and the seeds scatter in the water. Seeds do not tolerate dry storage and freezing, in the water need to maintain a lower temperature above 0 ℃, in order to safely overwinter.

Three, cultivation techniques

(a) varieties

1. Su gorgon

Also known as the southern gorgon (Figure 15-32), produced in Jiangsu Taihu Lake area. Suitable for cultivation in paddy fields or shallow ponds, plant: plant is huge, in addition to the back of the leaf blade has thorns, petiole, petiole and fruit outside are no thorns, easy to harvest. April seedlings, planted in May, after the first half of September began to harvest, generally divided into 7-8 times, the first half of October to collect the end. Mu yield dry gravy rice 20-25kg. gravy rice round and neat, glutinous, slightly yellowish, good quality. This variety has two strains of purple flower and white flower, purple flower species 7-10 days earlier than white flower species.

Figure 15-32 Seeds and fruits of southern gorgonians

1. Fruit appearance 2. Fruit longitudinal section 3 Seed longitudinal section 4. Seed kernel

2. Spiny gorgonians

Also known as northern gorgonians (Figure 15-33), produced in Jiangsu Hongze Lake, Baoying Lake, etc., adaptability is wide, able to be in the depth of water 1.5 Flowers dark purple, leaf dorsum, petiole, fruit, fruit stalks are densely rigid spines, harvesting difficulties. sowing in April, late September to early October

Figure 15-33 Seeds and fruits of spiny gorgonian

1. fruit appearance 2. fruit longitudinal section 3. seed longitudinal section 4. seed kernel

During the period, a harvest. Mu yield about 25kg of dry gorgonian rice, gorgonian rice is nearly round, japonica, powdery and fragile, poor quality.

(ii) sowing

Can be divided into two kinds of direct seeding and seedling transplanting. Seedling transplanting, single plant yield is relatively high, but requires certain conditions. Large areas of deep-water lakes and slopes are planted, mostly with direct seeding methods.

1.live

Seeding in early April, 1.5-2.0kg per acre.

(1) Cave sowing

In the water depth of 30cm below the lakeshore, the available cave sowing, every 2-2.5m square, digging a shallow hole, each cave sowing seeds 2-3, covered with soil 1.5m.

(2) mud group sowing

Water depth of more than 1m deep-water lakes, aquatic animals, seeds are easy to drift or be eaten, then use the mud group sowing. With wet mud will be 3-4 seeds wrapped into a ball, and then point sowing, sowing method is the same as above.

(3) strip sowing

Generally use strip sowing, in the water according to the 2.5-3m spacing, straight line sowing, every 0.6-1m sowing 1-2 grains, require uniformity of sowing. The specific density of sowing, fat swings are thin, thin swings are dense.

2. Seedling transplantation

(1) seedling promotion

Early April, take the stored seeds rinsed with water, put into a shallow basin, add water to submerge the seeds to the degree of the sun, placed in the warm ground under the sun, sunshine night cover, keep the day temperature of 25 ℃, the night temperature of 15 ℃ or more, in order to facilitate the germination. Seed soaking period spurs need to change the water often. About 8-10 days, most of the seeds slightly white buds, about 0.5cm long, can be sown in the seedling pool.

(2) sowing

5-7 days before sowing, need to do a good nursery pool, seedling pool 2m square, 1.5cm deep, surrounded by ridges, remove weeds, leveling the bottom of the pool soil, water 10cm. gorgonian seedlings are young and fragile, in the water, avoid the soil buried in the heart and leaves, it is necessary to wait until the pool water is clarified, the subsoil sinking, the germination of the seeds near the surface of the water lightly Sprinkle, 300 seeds per square meter.

(3) transplantation

30-40 days after sowing, the seedlings have leaflets 2-3 pieces, to be transplanted into pools. Transplanting seedling pools should be prepared in advance, choose wind and sun, irrigation is convenient paddy fields, surrounded by high ridges, into the rotted manure, fine leveling of the soil surface, flooding 10-15cm. transplanting with seedling up, Xian remove the soil from the root, the seedling will be discharged in a wooden pot, cover the shade, to prevent sunburns. After transportation to the rice field, according to 40-60cm square, plant by plant into the transplanting pool. Requirements for planting shallow and stable, with seeds and roots to be planted into the soil. Do not plant too deep, resulting in the field soil buried heart leaves, not easy to develop seedlings, or even death. Seedling survival after the return of green, the water level gradually deepened, to promote the growth of the petiole of the new leaves of the seedlings. 7-10 days before planting, the water level gradually deepened to: 30-40cm, to facilitate the planting can be adapted to the deep-water lakes.

(4) planting

Early May, the gorgonian seedlings have 4 a 5 green leaves, leaf diameter of 25cm or more, you can start planting. Lakes in the general wind and waves, gorgonian seedlings planted more small, intolerant of wind and wave attack, must pay attention to protection. Suzhou suburban farmers planted wild rice grass around the lakeshore, with wind and wave protection.

Pre-planting according to 50-60cm square row spacing hole, generally 120-160 holes per mu, each hole diameter 35cm, 1Bcm deep, pot-bottom shape. If the barren field, you need to apply fertilizer in the hole, usually river mud or rotted manure. The water level is deeper in the lakes, the base fertilizer is difficult to apply into the hole, then use the fertilizer soil to wrap the seedling roots, and then planted in the hole. Fertilizer soil with 2000kg half-dry river mud, 2-3 times **** add 1800kg manure, and then add the appropriate amount of ammonium sulfate, heap fermentation, ready for application.

After opening the hole or applying the base fertilizer, it is necessary to wait until the water is clarified before fixing the last. The operation method when fixing is the same as when moving seedlings. Seedlings must be raised on the same day and planted on the same day to avoid drying out the seedlings. When planting the seedling roots in line with the disk, shallow planting in the center of the hole, mud, soil cover the roots can be, to prevent the soil cover the heart and leaves, inhibit growth. Later, as the plant grows, the new roots continue to grow, you can gradually congestion root stabilization, to ensure its stable and strong growth. Generally each mu seedlings can be planted 5-mu field.

(C) field management

1. replenish seedlings

Deep-water lakes live, seedlings out of the ground, leaf diameter of 8-10cm, to check the seedling situation, and timely removal of dense make up for the thinning of the gorgonian seedlings to maintain 100-150 per mu. Seedling transplanting gorgonian field, see a lack of plants, should be immediately replanted to ensure that all seedlings.

2. Weeding

The planting of gorgonian seedlings is young and weak, around the fast-growing weeds, easy to affect the growth of seedlings, planting 7-10 days after the start of weeding, pulling weeds, stuffed into the soil as fertilizer. General **** weeding 4-5 times. late July, gravy leaves basically cover the water surface, that is, stop weeding. In addition, the surface of the water, such as duckweed should also be removed in a timely manner. Weeding at the same time, congestion of mud around the root, to prevent the gorgonian root exposed. If you find the sediment deposits covered with heart leaves, should be promptly peeled off.

3. Fertilizer

The number of times and the amount of fertilizer, depending on the morphological performance of the plant. If the leaves are large and fat, dark green glossy leaves, leaf surface has a tumor-like protrusion, that is sufficient fertilizer. If the leaf blade is thin and yellow, new leaf growth is slow, before and after the leaf size is similar, the leaf surface folds are very dense, said the fertilizer is not enough, should be immediately fertilizer.

Gorgonian seedlings out of the water, or transplanted gorgonian seedlings into seedlings 15 days later, generally should be fertilized once. Fertilizer in the water is most likely to be lost, must use mud, fertilizer mixed into a mass of fertilizer method. The method is to dig the river mud drying to half-dry, mixed with 1/3-1/4 manure, plus the right amount of fertilizer, composting for a few days, mixing 1-2 times, made into a mud ball, applied to the distance from the plant 10-15cm in the soil.

Each plant into the mud ball fertilizer weight of 3-4kg. such as barren fields or gravy seedlings planted late, in the plant before closing rows can also be applied 1-2 times fertilizer. In the plant growth period, root spraying 0.2% potassium dihydrogen phosphate solution 2-3 times, can enhance plant resistance, mention: high yield.

(D) pests and diseases and their control

1. Lotus constrictor aphid

(Rhopalosiphum nymphaeae (L.))

Adults and wakozoa grouped together on the leaf surface to suck the sap, the lesser of which is yellowed leaves, and the more severe shriveled up and died. This insect can occur more than 20 generations a year, to eggs in the nuclear fruit fruit trees in the winter, the following year, March-April hatching, wingless viviparous female aphids in the winter host damage, May-June produced winged aphids, migrated into the gorgonian field damage, June to early July, wingless viviparous female aphids occurring in large quantities, the damage is heavy, the damage is light in high summer, but in mid-August after the aphid amount of But after mid-August the aphid volume rises, the damage is aggravated, after the autumn cool produced winged aphids move back to the winter host, and produce sexual aphids, female and male aphid differentiation, cross-tailed egg laying. Prevention and control of aphids can be sprayed with 40% Rogaine 1000 times liquid, 2.5% of the enemy killed 4000 times liquid.

2.diamondback purple leafhopper

(Macrosteles purparata K.)

Purple adult, if the cluster of leaf plugs part of the sap sucking, resulting in scars. This insect occurs in Jiangsu 5 generations a year, to eggs in the river, pond side sedge family weeds in the stems of overwintering, the following year in April-May hatching, in early to mid-May began to move to just out of the water gorgonian leaves to feed on pests, July-August occurrence of large quantities of heavy damage, in mid- to late-October, the adults that is to move to the riverside weeds to lay eggs. Diamondback leafhopper often mixed with the lotus constrictor aphid, so the control of aphids can be used to treat this insect, in addition, can also choose to use 25% of the insecticide double 250-500 times liquid spray.

3. Radix avricularia L.

(Radix avricularia L.)

Adult snails and young snails like to nibble young leaves and stems, and bite the root system, so that gorgonian growth stagnation, leaf thinning, the heaviest deaths, Radix avricularia L. is a kind of mollusc, each head of the adult snail can produce hundreds of eggs, egg sacs adhering to the back of gorgonian leaves, or the stem of the leaves of other aquatic plants, water temperature 15-25 degrees Celsius is the most suitable for reproduction, and the most suitable for breeding, and the most suitable for the breeding, and the most suitable for the propagation. 15-25 ℃ is most suitable for reproduction and damage, spring and fall each year, two spawning peak, eggs hatch in more than 10 days, the young snail was born very small, but rapid growth, the damage is becoming more serious, winter snails clinging to aquatic plant debris, or in the submerged soil surface overwintering, strong resistance to cold.

Prevention methods: 4kg of tea cakes, soaked in 50kg of warm water for 3 hours, filtered residue, spray. Can also be used to kill 50g of shellfish with 50kg of water spray.

4. Root-feeding goldfish See lotus root.

5. gorgonian leaf spot disease

(Helicoceras sp.)

Commonly known as the bran plague, the occurrence of universal, generally July-September is the onset of the peak period, the severity of which can make the whole leaf rot. Leaf spots are mostly from the outer edge, round, dark green at first, then dark brown, sometimes with whorls, generally 3-4cm in diameter, the largest up to 7-8cm, very easy to rot and perforate. Prevention and control methods: at the onset of 50% carbendazim 500 times solution, or 70% tolbutamide 1000 times plus 0.3% washing powder spray.

6. gorgonian leaf tumor disease

(Doassansiopsis sp.)

The disease occurs commonly, the onset of the leaf surface of the first light green yellow spots, after the bulge, swollen, tumor-shaped, large to fist-shaped, reddish, irregular shape, the later part of the disease rot, scattered a large number of small black particles. Prevention and control methods are the same as leaf spot disease.

Four, harvesting and processing

(a) stay seed

Stay seed fruit, in the third and fourth harvest, select the fruit shape flat round and full, moderate size of the fruit to stay seed. Seed fruit selection, well marked, left for the next harvest, so that the seeds fully mature. Seed fruit harvest, cut open the pericarp, take out the seeds, select the full grain, darker color seeds, wash and put into the bag. Generally every 5kg a packet, buried in paddy fields under the silt 30cm deep, or placed in the water depth of 60-90cm, slightly flowing river, pool water, bushels of water on the grass, in order to prevent winter damage.

(2) harvest

1. multiple harvest method

Cultivation of "Su gorgon", fruit stalks, fruit and petiole are thornless, easy to harvest many times. late August, the plant heart leaf contraction, . New leaf growth is slow, the leaf surface is less than 90cm wide, smooth, and double flowers through the leaf surface, the early fruit and fruit stalks soft, red skin, can be harvested. Begin to harvest every other week, 2 times after the harvest, 3-5 days apart, can be harvested one after another. Generally 8-10 times harvested.

Before harvesting, first use a bamboo knife to cut the yellowing old leaves, cut a walkway, to try to protect the green leaves from damage. Prevent water from flowing in through the veins of the broken leaves, causing rot. Every time you harvest, you should take the original path, do not step on the root plant. Harvesting with a pointed-bottomed bucket, find the stalks of mature fruits by hand, split the fruits with a bamboo knife from the base of the fruits, and keep the intact fruit stalks, so as not to let the water from the broken fruit stalks into the plant, causing rot. Place the harvested fruit in a wooden barrel.

2. A harvest method

Cultivation of "thorn gorgonian", fruit stalks, fruit and petiole have just thorns, more than one harvest. In late September, the plant heart leaf curl, rounded edge of the large leaves slightly scorched, red rust color, red pericarp, a few early mature fruits blow up on their own, the seeds floating on the water surface, at this time can be harvested. When harvesting, the leaves are cut off with a long-handled sickle in a small boat, and the fruits are then cut off one by one and put into the boat.

(3) Processing

1. To remove the skin of the fruit, "Su gorgonian" has no thorns, so it can be peeled off by hand or cut open with a knife, and the seeds can be taken out. "Prickly gorgonian" has thorns, there are two ways to peel: one is the squeeze method, with a knife from the base of the fruit to poke open, the tip of the fruit on the bench, put a stick on it, step on it with your foot, one side of the knife to pry open the base, the seeds will be squeezed out, this method is labor intensive, but the seeds are of better quality, suitable for seed retention. One is the composting method, the harvested fruit pile up, or dig a pit, the fruit into which the pour, covered with grass, splash water composting, 7-10 days after turning once, and then after a few days, the skin of the fruit composted on its own, the rotten fruit in a bamboo basket, wash with water, this method is more labor-saving, but the seed by the composting heat, the quality of the quality of a little worse.

2. step seed

Gorgonian seeds have a layer of film on the outside, that is, aril, in addition to save the seed can be saved, for commercial use must be removed. Will go to the peel of the seeds into the basin or barrel, foot wearing straw shoes tread, so that the film off, outflow of yellow water, rinse with water and then tread again, until no yellow water overflow, the seed coat from orange yellow to slightly white until. Film removed and then washed with water.

3. Shelling

Jiangsu Taihu Lake area with artificial shelling, will be washed fresh seeds, teeth shell, this method is quite laborious, but the resulting gorgonian rice round, good commercialization. Can also be used to machine shelling, will wash the seeds in time to dry in the sun, hand shaking when you hear the sound, can be peeled for the machine rice. The resulting gravy rice broken uneven, poorer commerciality. After shelling the gorgonian rice should be dried in a timely manner to prevent gorgonian rice red, reduce quality.