Baoxing Sichuan Achyranthes

Baoxing Sichuan Achyranthes

Baoxing Sichuan Achyranthes is a protected geographical indication product.

　　Baoxing began spontaneously cultivating Sichuan Achyranthes as early as the Ming and Qing dynasties, making it one of the origin regions of Sichuan Achyranthes and also the collection site of its type specimen. "Baoxing Sichuan Achyranthes" is known for its superior quality and distinctive regional product characteristics, enjoying a high reputation in both domestic and international markets. The product is sold not only to major traditional Chinese medicinal material markets across China but also exported through intermediaries to countries and regions such as Japan and South Korea.

　　　　The Baoxing County Party Committee and County Government place great emphasis on the production of Sichuan Achyranthes, proposing the strategic goal of building the county into "the top county in China producing authentic Sichuan herbs represented by Sichuan Achyranthes" and "a western medicinal herb industry base county." In 2011, the cultivated area of Sichuan Achyranthes in Baoxing reached 780 hectares, with a total yield of 2,361 tons, accounting for over 60% of the national output, making it the leading county in Sichuan Achyranthes production.

　　Baoxing Sichuan Achyranthes

　　The current administrative region under the jurisdiction of Baoxing County, Sichuan Province

　　"Suggestion Letter from Baoxing County People's Government on Defining the Protection Scope of Baoxing Sichuan Achyranthes as a National Geographical Indication Product," Bao Government Letter [2012] No. 87

　　Enterprise Standard of Baoxing County Traditional Chinese Medicine Association: Q/00890562-1.1-2012 "Standard Operating Procedures for the Standardized Production Technology of Baoxing Sichuan Achyranthes"

　　Quality and Technical Requirements for Baoxing Sichuan Achyranthes

　　I. Provenance

　　Sichuan Achyranthes (Cyathula officinalis Kuan).

　　II. Seed Quality Standards

　　1. Appearance: Fruits are blackish-brown with red tint, utricle-shaped, oval or oval-obovate, dark gray, 2 to 5 mm in length, 1 to 2 mm in diameter, containing one seed each. Seeds are ovate or elliptical, glossy, hairless, reddish-brown on the surface, 2 to 2.3 mm in length, 1 to 1.5 mm in diameter.

　　2. Purity: All grades of seeds must be free of weeds, other plants, and defective seeds, with a purity level of ≥90%.

　　3. Thousand-Seed Weight: Weight of 1,000 seeds (without utricles) ranges from 1.4 to 1.8 g.

　　4. Moisture Content: Moisture content ≤14%.

　　5. Germination Rate: Seed germination rate ≥80%.

　　6. Viability: Seed viability ≥80%.

　　7. Seed Storage: Store in cool, dark conditions. Shelf life is one year; seeds from the following year shall not be used for sowing.

　　III. Site Conditions

　　Altitude of the production area: 1,200 to 2,400 m; slightly sticky loam soil with organic matter content ≥1%, pH value between 5.5 and 6.5. Crop rotation is required with an interval of 3 years.

　　IV. Cultivation Management

　　1. Planting: Sow in mid-to-late April using dibbling method; plant spacing is 35×30 cm, hole depth 5 cm, with 10 to 15 seeds per hole; no more than 450,000 plants per hectare.

　　2. Thinning: Perform thinning once during the first and second hoeing in the same year (Thinning requirements: leave 4 to 6 seedlings per hole for the first thinning, 2 to 3 seedlings for the second).

　　3. Hoeing and Weeding: First hoeing and weeding in mid-to-late May; second time when seedlings are about 10 cm tall in mid-to-late June or around 35 cm tall in early August. Three hoeings and weedings are also required in the second year, at the same times as the first year. In the third year, if harvesting, only perform the first two hoeings. If harvesting in the fourth year, perform three hoeings in the third year and only the first two in the fourth.

　　4. Topdressing: Primarily use farmyard manure supplemented with chemical fertilizers, applying topdressing after each hoeing and weeding. Apply 533 to 667 kg of well-rotted farmyard manure per 667㎡ (per mu).

　　5. Soil Mounding: During the third hoeing and weeding each year, mound soil around the base of the plants to protect against freezing.

　　6. Leaf Pruning and Stalk Removal: When nutrition is abundant and the plant grows vigorously, promptly prune excess leaves to promote root growth. When stalks emerge, remove them in a timely manner.

　　7. Environmental and safety requirements: The use of pesticides, fertilizers, and other chemicals must comply with national regulations to avoid environmental pollution.

　　V. Harvesting

　　Harvest from October to November in the 3rd or 4th year after planting. Dig deeply to minimize root breakage.

　　VI. Primary Processing

　　After digging, shake off the soil, remove the rhizome head and fibrous roots, cut off lateral roots, leaving only the main and lateral roots as single stems. Then, sort them by root size, bundle them into small bundles, and place them upright on drying beds or in the sun. During drying, group them by weight and dry at 65°C. Sample and test moisture content every 2 hours until it is ≤16%. Then stack them for several days to allow moisture redistribution, then dry again at 65°C. Sample and test moisture content every 2 hours until it is ≤14%, at which point processing is complete.

　　VII. Quality Characteristics

　　1. Sensory characteristics: Nearly cylindrical, slightly twisted, tapering slightly downward or with a few branches, 30–60 cm long and 0.5–3 cm in diameter. The surface is yellowish-brown or grayish-brown with longitudinal wrinkles, lateral root scars, and numerous transverse, elongated skin pore-like protrusions. The texture is tough and not easily broken. The cross-section is light yellow or brownish-yellow with dot-like vascular bundles arranged in several concentric rings. It has a faint aroma and a sweet taste.

　　2. Physicochemical indicators:

　　Item     Indicator

　　Moisture (%)     ≤ 16.0

　　 Extractables (%)     ≥ 65.0

　　 Ash (%)     ≤ 8.0

　　 Acid-insoluble ash (%)     ≤ 1.5

　　Cyasterone (C29H44O8) (%)     ≥ 0.03

　　3. Safety and other quality technical requirements: Product safety and other quality technical requirements must comply with national regulations.