1. Master the identification knowledge of medicinal seeds
As the saying goes: "If the mother is big and the child is fat, good seedlings will grow." Only with good seedlings can we ensure high yield, high quality and safe and effective use of medicines. Therefore, seeds and seedlings must be carefully identified to distinguish authenticity and quality. Since there is currently no monopoly on Chinese herbal medicine seeds and seedlings in my country, the quality of seeds and seedlings varies, and there are many fake ones that look real. For example, fennel seeds can be used as bupleurum seeds, spinach seeds can be used as aroids, and the bulbs of narcissus, lily, and amaryllis can be used as saffron bulbs. The more expensive the varieties, the easier they are to be counterfeited. Drug farmers can subscribe to relevant newspapers and magazines before buying seeds, or go to bookstores to buy some professional books to understand the inherent shape, color, and structure of the seeds they want to buy. For example, Ophiopogon japonicus is spherical, Codonopsis pilosula is oblate spherical and brown, the seeds of Astragalus are kidney-shaped and yellow, the seeds of Platycodon grandiflorum are oval and brown, etc. By consulting relevant information or consulting experienced pesticide farmers or experts outside the seed supply unit, you can obtain relevant identification knowledge in a timely manner and clarify the source of the seed. This can prevent the risks caused by selecting the wrong seeds to a certain extent.
2. Understand the propagation methods of medicinal plants
The propagation methods of Chinese medicinal plants can usually be divided into two categories: one is seed propagation (also called sexual propagation); One is to use the roots, stems, leaves and other vegetative organs of plants for reproduction (also called vegetative reproduction and asexual reproduction). Medicinal materials such as chrysanthemum, salvia, scrophulariaceae, rehmannia glutinosa, pinellia, aroid, honeysuckle, heterogeneous ginseng, peony, Ophiopogon japonicus, fritillary, yam, lily, Polygonatum odorifera, etc. are mostly asexually propagated in production. When producing such medicinal materials, the authenticity of the seedlings will not be a big problem. The main attention should be paid to the size of the seedlings to see if there are any rotten seedlings and whether they contain harmful organisms subject to national quarantine. It is important to understand the propagation methods of various medicinal materials. For example, someone sells saffron "seeds" using recycled bags as bait. In fact, saffron is propagated from bulbs, and it is unknown what the seeds are. Another example is Atractylodes macrocephala. You can buy and raise seedlings yourself. Some people use contracts as a guise to sell seedlings to others in order to obtain huge profits, which invisibly increases production costs.
3. Understand medicinal species, be able to select varieties according to local conditions
Currently, there are many medicinal seeds, and different varieties have different growth environmental conditions and utilization methods. The medicinal materials produced by drug farmers are special commodities used to treat diseases, and their quality directly determines the effect of clinical treatment. When selecting a variety, drug farmers must first examine whether the variety is suitable for the local climate conditions, soil conditions, irrigation and drainage conditions, and the special requirements for the growth habits of the variety. Don’t believe the lie that “it can be planted in the north and south, it is suitable for the whole country, it does not matter the soil, it is easy to plant and easy to manage”. According to the growth habits of different Chinese medicinal materials, grain medicines, fruit medicines...forest medicines, intercropping of long and short medicines, etc. should be arranged to fully and rationally utilize the land and improve economic benefits. For example, Araceae and Pinellia prefer a damp and humid environment, so corn, pepper, sesame, etc. can be intercropped on the border; fenugreek, skullcap, etc. can be planted between the rows of Eucommia and Ginkgo; Salvia miltiorrhiza has a long seedling period, so it can be intercropped early on the border. High-stem crops such as corn. Slopes and hills can be forested with Eucommia ulmoides, Dogwood, Evodia, etc., which not only greens the barren hills but also makes farmers rich. Ginkgo biloba, eucommia ulmoides, peonies, honeysuckle, etc. are planted on both sides of roads and streets, which can not only play a green ornamental role, but also harvest medicinal materials. For large areas of tidal flats along the coast, medicinal materials with certain salt tolerance can be selected for planting, such as chrysanthemum, vitex, salvia, mint, etc. Ecological principles for introducing planting varieties: try to plant local authentic medicinal varieties. These varieties have no problem with adaptability and have cultivation technology and market foundation. You must be cautious about newly introduced varieties.
4. Understand the market information and choose marketable varieties
"When it is small, it is a treasure, but when it is long, it is just a grass." This is the benefit that farmers can bring to the cultivation of Chinese medicinal materials. A very vivid metaphor for risk. To obtain accurate information, you must first identify the authenticity of advertisements and do not be fooled by the rhetoric of false advertisements. Most drug farmers are eager to make a fortune and like to plant varieties that temporarily command higher prices on the market, but the returns are often not as good as expected. Experts believe that information should be collected from the following aspects: 1. Relevant newspapers, magazines and professional books; 2. Medicinal material market; 3. Medicinal material origin; 4. Government departments and relevant statistical departments; 5. Foreign trade import and export departments; 6. Relevant scientific research Department; 7. Relevant insiders and industry experts.
Pay close attention to the changes in the price of Chinese medicinal materials, conduct a comprehensive analysis of the authoritative information collected above, verify the facts, discard the rough and select the essential, discard the false and retain the true, and you will find the varieties and opportunities for planting Chinese medicinal materials that are beneficial.
5. Understand the validity period of seeds
The storage life of many Chinese medicinal seeds is very short, and the germination rate of seeds that have exceeded the age is very low. In order to make huge profits, some unscrupulous individuals in the seed market sell medicinal seeds. Some of them are old seeds with no germination ability or low germination rate, and some are hybrids that deliberately mix new and old seeds. Numerous test results show that every 1% decrease in seed moisture in the range of 5% to 14% can double the seed life. However, a small number of seeds such as Asarum, Huanglian, and Haier Shen cannot tolerate dry storage and should be kept wet. Tibetan. Other seeds that belong to the wet storage type include betel nut, nutmeg, cinnamon, clove, agarwood and other southern medicines. Different types of medicinal plants have different seed germination years, which is related to their own genetic traits and storage conditions. The germination period of most medicinal seeds is 2 to 4 years, such as burdock, coix, milk thistle, platycodon, safflower, etc. In the production of medicinal materials, special attention should be paid to those seeds with short validity periods, such as Codonopsis pilosula, Atractylodes macrocephala, Scutellaria baicalensis, Kansui, Angelicae sinensis, Radix Adenospermum, Angelica dahurica, Bupleurum and other seeds. It must be sown in the same year or in the second spring and summer. It cannot be sown after the deadline. Under normal circumstances, seeds that are old every other year basically lose their ability to germinate. In addition, when purchasing seeds, you should pay attention to the appearance of the seeds. The seeds of the current year are shiny, shiny, and fragrant, while the seeds of the next year are gray and musty.
6. Understand the correct method of seed storage and use
Although some medicinal seeds are new seeds, if the seed storage and use techniques are incorrect, the seed germination rate will still be low. or failure to germinate. For example, the seed coat of Andrographis paniculata seeds has a layer of wax that is impermeable to water and needs to be rubbed and then soaked in warm water; astragalus and licorice seeds are hardened, and rubbing and soaking can improve the germination rate; more attention should be paid to some seeds with a long dormant period. For example, peony, yellow lotus, American ginseng, yew, etc. can be treated with low-temperature sand accumulation.
7. Understand the quality of seeds and seedlings
Good-quality seeds refer to seeds that are pure and consistent, plump and complete, free of diseases, pests and weeds, with high germination rate and vitality, stress resistance and Strong pest and disease resistance.
When purchasing seeds and seedlings, be sure to conduct quality appraisal in advance. The main contents include: weight of 1,000 seeds (or weight of 100 seeds of large seeds), purity, moisture content, color, odor, germination rate, etc. If it does not meet the standards, it means that the seeds have not developed well and cannot be used as sowing seeds. Under normal circumstances, germination test is an effective way to test the quality of seeds. During the test, on the premise of sowing the seeds correctly, attention should also be paid to the germination conditions. For example, Bupleurum is planted at a lower germination temperature, and high temperature affects germination. At the same time, we must have a correct understanding of the germination rate of certain medicinal seeds, such as Bupleurum and Angelica dahurica seeds. Even new seeds have a low germination rate. At the same time, the seeds should be inspected by the seed quarantine department when purchasing and transporting, and the pests and diseases in the place of origin and the health status of the seeds and seedlings should be understood to prevent seeds and seedlings carrying diseases and pests from affecting the benefits of planting medicinal materials.
8. Understand the prices of seeds and seedlings
Although the seeds sold by some seed suppliers are genuine and of good quality, the prices are surprisingly high. For example, safflower seeds, which can be bought for 20 yuan per kilogram, sell for as much as 30 to 80 yuan; isatis root seeds cost 80 to 200 yuan per kilogram, platycodon seeds cost 100 to 400 yuan per kilogram, and chrysanthemum seedlings cost 0.54 yuan per plant. Some simply play word games and often sell seeds in units of "seeds" for tens to hundreds of yuan per seed. However, how many seeds are there per seed and how much land can really be planted are often sold as "three points of land for planting." ” and so on indicate the seeding rate. Under normal circumstances, it is normal for most Chinese herbal medicine seeds to cost 100 to 300 yuan per mu, and seedlings to cost 150 to 500 yuan per mu. The total annual investment in seeds and seedlings per mu should not exceed 300 to 500 yuan.
9. Purchase seeds and seedlings from legal seed dealers
When purchasing seeds and seedlings for planting Chinese medicinal materials, you must go to a professional research department or a company with good reputation and long-term experience in Chinese medicinal materials. Promote planting, and have a seed business license, a seed business license, a formal, reliable, and economically powerful seed business unit to purchase packaged seeds.
Unpackaged bulk seeds are easily adulterated and counterfeited by unscrupulous traders, and it is also difficult to recover compensation afterwards. Also look for packaging markings and internal and external labels. The label should contain: place of origin, seed business license number, variety name, characteristics of the variety (including cultivation points), seed quality (including purity, clarity, germination rate and moisture content indicators), quarantine certificate number, quantity ( Net content), production date and sales unit, etc. If the label content is incomplete, its quality is difficult to guarantee. You can also open the seed package to check whether the cleanliness, dryness, humidity, color, and smell of the seeds meet the requirements, and whether there are any traces of insects. When purchasing varieties that you have not grown before, you should consult relevant experts or departments specializing in the cultivation and promotion of traditional Chinese medicinal materials in advance. Don’t buy new, exotic, or special seeds when we don’t understand the situation, because these seeds have not been tested in practice, and blind buying will greatly increase production risks.
10. Those who have been harmed by fake and inferior seeds have the right to claim compensation
Friends of the chemical farmers who have purchased or used fake or inferior seeds have the right to claim compensation through the following 7 ways. Claims from infringers: ① You can present the seed purchase invoice, seed packaging bag, etc. to the seed sales unit to report the situation and negotiate for settlement; ② If the parties fail to reach a settlement after negotiation, you can complain to the local consumer association and request mediation; ③ You can file a complaint with the local consumer association Complain to the seed management agency (seed quality inspection and supervision station or seed management station) set up by the agricultural authorities at or above the county level and request for processing; ④ You can appeal to the local quality supervision and management department (technical supervision bureau) for processing; ⑤ To the local industrial and commercial administration department (Industrial and Commercial Bureau) to file a complaint and request protection of their legitimate rights and interests; ⑥ When seed dealers and seed consumers have objections to the authenticity and quality of seeds, they should ask seed inspection agencies at or above the county level for arbitration; ⑦ When the above channels still exist When a dispute over seed quality cannot be resolved, a lawsuit may be filed in the People's Court in accordance with the law.
In addition, pay attention to keep the following evidence: seed purchase vouchers, certificates, physical seeds or packaging bags, audio and video recordings, witness statements, statements of parties, conclusions on the authenticity of seeds, inspection records, on-site record. When signs of damage are discovered, the relevant departments should be promptly requested to identify, photograph, and take samples to retain evidence, and the agricultural science and technology department and the judicial department should be asked to collect evidence and make identification conclusions.