Ranunculus asiaticus L. planting time
If you want to learn about the planting time of Ranunculus asiaticus L. and the key points of its cultivation techniques in the field of green plants and flowers, please see the detailed introduction below.
Ranunculus asiaticus L., also known as Persian buttercup or peony, is a perennial herbaceous plant of the Ranunculaceae family, native to Turkey, Syria, Iran, Israel, and southeastern Europe. It was introduced to southern Europe from Turkey in the 16th century and then to the United States, Japan, and other countries. The flowers of Ranunculus asiaticus L. are large, with bright and rich colors, including red, white, orange, pink, etc., and have high ornamental value. It has been widely planted in Europe and America, and it was introduced and cultivated in China since the 1980s. Due to the low level of production and living standards at that time, it has not developed. In recent years, due to its bright and rich colors, high yield, and popularity among consumers, the planting area has been increasing year by year. Based on the natural climate conditions in Kunming and cultivation experience, the cultivation techniques of Ranunculus asiaticus L. in the region are introduced.
1 Cultivation season
Kunming has a mild climate, with an average annual temperature of 15°C and no frost period of over 240 days a year. With low latitude, high altitude, abundant sunlight, strong ultraviolet radiation, and large temperature difference between day and night, it is one of the world's most suitable regions for producing high-quality flowers. Ranunculus asiaticus L. prefers semi-shaded and cool growing conditions and can be planted all year round in Kunming. According to its adaptability to the environment and market demand, the best cultivation season is to sow in autumn and market in spring.
2 Cultivation techniques
2.1 Seedling propagation
Seedling propagation can be carried out by seed, cutting, tuber (division) propagation, and tissue culture, each with its characteristics. Seed propagation is the most common in production, followed by tuber propagation.
2.1.1 Seed propagation. The seeds are soaked in warm water for 12 hours, then treated with a 50% wettable powder of fenarimol or a 50% wettable powder of carbendazim 500 times for 10 minutes, washed, and placed in the refrigerator (3-5°C) for 7-10 days. The germination rate and germination potential of Ranunculus asiaticus L. seeds pretreated at low temperature are significantly higher than those stored at room temperature (P＜0.01), and the germination time is also earlier; low-temperature pretreatment changes the germination process of Ranunculus asiaticus L. seeds [2]. After low-temperature treatment, seeds can be directly sown or germinated at 15-18°C for 1 week before sowing.
The sowing matrix can be a mixture of peat and perlite in a 3:1 ratio, covered with pure vermiculite, or mixed with peat and perlite at a 1:1 ratio and covered with a thickness of 2-3mm. Generally, seeds that have been germinated take 7-10 days to sprout, while direct-sown seeds need about 20 days. After sprouting, special attention should be paid to the supply of water, avoiding excessive watering to prevent seedling rot, and allowing seedlings to be exposed to weak light in the early morning and evening. After the cotyledons break, gradually increase the light exposure time and apply a thin fertilizer solution, such as a 30-10-10 compound fertilizer, with a concentration of about 2000 times. Pay attention to alternating wet and dry conditions to prevent diseases and excessive growth. When the seedlings have 3-4 true leaves, they can be transplanted into plug trays or nutrient bags using a 4:1 mixture of peat soil and perlite as the matrix, and planted when they have 5-6 leaves.
2.1.2 Tuber propagation. Use the small tubers cultivated in the previous year as propagation material. After the leaves of Ranunculus asiaticus L. fall in April and May in Kunming, dig up the tubers from the cultivation site, wash them, and treat them with a 50% wettable powder of fenarimol or a 50% wettable powder of carbendazim 500 times for 10 minutes, then dehydrate them in a ventilated, dry, and low-temperature environment, avoiding direct sunlight [3]. Perform tuber treatment at the beginning of October, soak in clear water for 12 hours, and place in a 3-7°C environment for cold storage. Alternatively, use disinfected matrix soil, water, mix well (without dripping), and bury the bulbs in the matrix, then move directly to a 3-7°C low-temperature environment for treatment. After 15-30 days of low-temperature treatment, move to room temperature for germination, with a germination temperature of 15-20°C for uniform and rapid root growth and low tuber rot rate. When 4-5 branches have grown, transplant them. This method produces cut flowers with higher yields, shorter production cycles, early flowering, short and thick stems, high double-flower rate, and better pot flower quality.
2.2 Transplanting
Plant in early November with a row spacing of 30cm×25-30cm, 5000 plants per 667m². Ranunculus asiaticus L. prefers a slightly acidic environment and should be planted in loose, fertile sandy loam. Usually, a mixture of garden soil, sandy soil, and decomposed cake fertilizer (chicken manure) in a 5:3:1 ratio is used, or a mixture of garden soil, leaf mold, and decomposed organic fertilizer in a 4:2:1 ratio. For pot flowers, plant the seedlings or bulbs after germination in 10cm×8cm nutrient pots. To prevent tuber rot, disinfection treatment can be performed before potting, depending on the matrix used.
2.3 Field management
Ranunculus asiaticus L. is usually cultivated in protected areas, prefers semi-shaded conditions, does not require strong sunlight, but long-day conditions can promote bud differentiation. In spring, with the increase of temperature and sunlight, it is appropriate to provide moderate shading and strengthen ventilation. It is cold-resistant, with a suitable greenhouse temperature of 15-20°C. Raising night temperatures can shorten the growth period, while slightly lowering night temperatures can promote compact plant shapes.
2.3.1 Watering. Ranunculus asiaticus L. likes water and requires sufficient, timely, and balanced watering. It does not tolerate waterlogging and should be watered thoroughly each time, then allowed to dry before watering again. Keeping the plants and greenhouse air dry can help control plant shape and prevent diseases.
2.3.2 Topdressing. Foliar topdressing with 0.5-1.0g/kg urea solution during the seedling stage, and 0.5-1.0g/kg potassium dihydrogen phosphate solution during the bud stage, soil topdressing with 15-15-15 granular compound fertilizer 1-2 times; for pot flower cultivation, thinning is appropriate, leaving 3-5 buds. Tests have shown that Ranunculus asiaticus L. has a low demand for nitrogen and potassium nutrients. Excessive nitrogen and potassium nutrients can lead to a decrease in flower quality and a reduction in calcium utilization at the stem tip growth point, resulting in stem lodging [1].
2.3.3 Disease and pest control. There will be potential leafminer damage throughout the growing period of Ranunculus asiaticus L., and attention should be paid to controlling aphids during the flowering period. Leafminer can be controlled by spraying 75%灭蝇胺 wettable powder 3000 times, and aphids can be controlled by spraying 10% pyrethrin wettable powder 1000 times, every 4-5 days, for 3 consecutive times. The main diseases are gray mold, sclerotinia rot, and black spot disease, which can be controlled by spraying 75% chlorothalonil wettable powder 1000 times, with a focus on prevention.
3 Discussion
3.1 Application prospects
Ranunculus asiaticus L. has large flowers with bright and rich colors, including red, white, orange, pink, etc., and has high ornamental value. It has been widely planted worldwide, especially in Europe and America. However, it is still less planted in Yunnan, and ordinary citizens are not familiar with this flower. Whether as cut flowers or pot flowers, it has good popularization and application prospects. There is also a lot of room for development in the application of open-air flower beds.
3.2 Low-temperature treatment
Low-temperature treatment before sowing seeds or tubers can significantly improve germination speed and seedling uniformity. According to literature, there are some differences in treatment temperature and duration, with temperatures ranging from -1°C to 5°C, and durations from 5-7 days to 30-40 days, all of which are effective. Different varieties have different requirements for temperature and duration.
3.3 Propagation methods
Ranunculus asiaticus L. can be propagated by seed, tuber, cutting, and tissue culture. Currently, the production mainly uses hybrid varieties, with seed propagation being the main method. Tissue culture requires certain equipment conditions and skilled operators, which is more expensive but can better maintain the excellent traits of the variety. Cutting is rarely used in production due to its low propagation coefficient, late flowering, and vulnerability to environmental influences. Tuber propagation is fast and early flowering, making it more suitable for pot culture.
In recent years, there have been many advancements in both new variety breeding and cultivation techniques in China. However, compared to developed countries, there is still a general lack of germplasm and difficulty in making significant breakthroughs in breeding. In terms of cultivation techniques, there is a lack of systematic and in-depth research, and no efficient standardized technical system has been formed.
The above knowledge about the planting time and key points of cultivation techniques for Ranunculus asiaticus L. is hoped to provide you with some help after reading this article!