Duxingcai, also known as glandular stalk duxingcai, spicy root vegetable, or mamacai, is a type of Chinese herbal medicine. The medicinal part of duxingcai is its seeds, also known as tingli zi, which have the effects of clearing heat, stopping bleeding, relieving asthma, and reducing swelling. It is very effective in treating coughing, asthma with excessive phlegm, and lung heat with chest distension.
1. Morphological identification
Duxingcai is a perennial or annual herb of the Brassicaceae family, growing to a height of 10-30cm. The stem is upright, branched, and covered with glandular hairs. The basal leaves are narrow spatulate, pinnatifid or deeply lobed; the stem leaves are alternate, lanceolate or linear, sessile, with the base slightly auriculate-clasping the stem, and the margin is dentate or entire. The inflorescence is corymbose, elongating during fruiting stage, and loosely arranged. The flowers are very small, about 1mm in length, and without petals. There are 4 sepals, which fall off early; 2-4 stamens. The silicle is nearly round, flat, with a slightly notched apex and very narrow wings on the upper part. The seeds are elliptical, about 1mm in length, and reddish-brown in color.
2. Growth characteristics
Duxingcai reproduces through seeds. It overwinters as seedlings or seeds. In northern China, it mainly emerges from October to November and regrows after thawing, with flowering occurring in April to May and fruiting in May to July. Each plant can produce several hundred or thousand seeds, which mature and fall off as they ripen. The seeds are spread by wind and irrigation. After a dormancy period of 3-4 months, the seeds germinate. It has strong adaptability and prefers sunlight, and can grow in various types of soil. It grows in farmland, ditches, roadsides, villages, and wasteland.
3. Distribution and harm
Duxingcai is mainly distributed in Northeast China, North China, Northwest China, Southwest China, and other regions. It is a common weed in wheat fields and mainly harms wheat, vegetables, fruit trees, and other plants. Duxingcai often grows in patches in wheat fields, forming dominant populations that cause damage. Some areas suffer heavy damage in wheat fields.
4. Control techniques
4.1 Agricultural control
Till the land deeply and practice crop rotation. Strengthen field management and remove duxingcai before its seeds mature.
4.2 Chemical control
From the time when wheat regrows after winter dormancy to before jointing stage, during the seedling stage of duxingcai, 600-750mL/ha of 72% 2,4-D butoxyethyl ester emulsion can be used; or 3750-5250mL/ha of 20% MCPA can be used; or 15-18g/ha of 75% quizalofop-p-ethyl suspension concentrate can be used; or 150g/ha of 10% fenoxaprop-p-ethyl wettable powder can be used; or 45-60g/ha of 50% haloxyfop-R-methyl water-dispersible granules can be used; or 300-450mL/ha of 48% diclofop-methyl water emulsion, sprayed on stems and leaves with 450-600L of water. From before watering frozen water to before jointing stage of wheat, during the seedling stage of duxingcai, 15-18g/ha of 75% quizalofop-p-ethyl suspension concentrate can be used; or 10g/ha of 10% fenoxaprop-p-ethyl wettable powder can be used; or 45-60g/ha of 50% haloxyfop-R-methyl water-dispersible granules can be used, sprayed on stems and leaves with 450-600L of water.
5. Notes
When using 2,4-D herbicides to control duxingcai, choose a windless day to avoid causing phytotoxicity to neighboring sensitive crops due to drifting droplets. Clean the equipment thoroughly after application.
