Jilin University Seeks to License Novel Method for Reducing Red Skin Disease Incidence in Replanted Ginseng for RMB 20,000

Recently, Jilin University released a public notice on the transformation of scientific and technological achievements, proposing to transfer“A Method for Reducing the Incidence of Ginseng Red Skin Disease”The relevant patents have been licensed to Ji'an Zhanyi Tourism Product Development Co., Ltd., with a license term of2 years, the authorized usage fee is RMB20,000 yuan. The inventor of this patented technology is Jilin UniversityProf. You Jiangfeng and his team。

The invention proposed for transfer in this instance isA Cultivation Technique for the Prevention and Control of Red Skin Disease and Quality Improvement in Second-Crop Ginseng Planting, with the core objective ofAddressing the High Incidence of Red Skin Disease in Continuous Ginseng Cultivation, while simultaneously increasing the yield and quality of ginseng and avoiding the drawbacks of traditional methods.

Ginseng, as a traditional and precious Chinese medicinal herb, boasts a massive cultivation industry, with core production regions such as Northeast China exhibiting a high degree of reliance on ginseng farming.

However, the characteristic of ginseng being "intolerant to continuous cropping" makes second-cycle cultivation an inevitable choice for industry development. If previously cultivated plots are left fallow after the first round of planting, it results in a waste of land resources; conversely, continuous cropping faces the fatal problem of high incidence of red skin disease, which severely restricts industry growth. Ginseng red skin disease is one of the most dangerous diseases in continuous cropping scenarios and is widespread in ginseng-growing regions globally, including China, South Korea, and North America. Its typical symptoms include reddish-brown or orange-yellow lesions on the root epidermis, reduced fibrous roots, and significant "root burning." This not only inhibits root growth but can also lead to root rot, directly causing substantial yield reductions.

Meanwhile, diseases significantly reduce the commercial quality of ginseng, affect market selling prices, and cause substantial economic losses to growers, thereby becoming a core bottleneck that hinders the transformation of ginseng cultivation practices and restricts the large-scale development of the industry.

These pain points impose multiple shocks on the ginseng cultivation industry: forGrowerFor second-crop fields, the incidence of red skin disease remains persistently high, and traditional prevention and control measures lack effective solutions. Farmers either abandon continuous cropping plots, leading to increased planting costs, or bear the risk of disease, resulting in reduced profits; forIndustry, the spread of red skin disease not only affects the total yield of ginseng but also leads to inconsistent quality due to the disease, thereby damaging the industry's reputation; forConsumerIn terms of ginseng, quality deterioration occurs under the influence of diseases, while pesticide residues potentially resulting from traditional control methods also pose a threat to food safety.

Current mainstream prevention and control strategies for red skin disease have significant drawbacks: traditional methods such as soil sterilization and heavy pesticide application can suppress the disease to some extent, but they lead to soil compaction and disrupt soil ecological balance. Long-term use also results in declined ginseng quality and excessive pesticide residues, which contradicts the principles of green agricultural development. Some improved approaches either offer limited efficacy, failing to address the root causes of disease risks in continuous cropping soils, or are complex and costly, making them difficult to promote among ordinary growers.

Furthermore, existing solutions predominantly focus on “external intervention for sterilization,” neglecting the enhancement of ginseng’s own immune capabilities, which makes it difficult to achieve long-term prevention and control. These pain points have created an urgent market demand for a new type of green, safe, easy-to-operate, and cost-controllable prevention and control technology. Such a technology should not only reduce the incidence rate of red skin disease in second-crop ginseng but also ensure ginseng quality and increase yield, while avoiding pesticide residues and soil degradation. This would fill the gap left by traditional approaches in terms of being “green, efficient, and high-quality,” thereby addressing the core challenge of continuous cropping in ginseng cultivation.

From “Passive Prevention and Control” to “Active Immunity”: Achieving“Green + Efficient + High-Quality”Triple Breakthrough: A More Scientific Prevention and Control Logic That Targets the Root Cause of Disease: Unlike the traditional passive approach of “external sterilization,” this technology precisely targets the fundamental pathogenesis of ginseng red skin disease—Insufficient Ascorbic Acid Synthesis and Regeneration Capacity, by exogenous supplementation of calcium ascorbate, activating ginseng’s endogenous ascorbate-glutathione cycle, scavenging reactive oxygen species (ROS) from within, reversing the oxidation of phenolic compounds, and fundamentally blocking the occurrence of red skin disease. Meanwhile, calcium meets the substantial demands of ginseng growth, achieving"Disease Prevention and Control + Growth Promotion"Synergistic effect: In the trial, the incidence index of erythroderma decreased from approximately 0.65 to 0.40, demonstrating significant and long-lasting prevention and control efficacy.

Green, Safe, and Hazard-Free: Aligning with Industry Development TrendsAbandoning traditional approaches such as soil sterilization and heavy pesticide application, this method employs calcium ascorbate as an immunomodulator. It eliminates the risk of pesticide residues, thereby ensuring the safety of ginseng for both culinary and medicinal use, while avoiding issues associated with chemical agents, such as soil compaction and ecological damage. This approach aligns with policy directives and market demands for green agriculture and standardized cultivation of traditional Chinese medicinal materials, resolving the contradiction inherent in traditional methods where “disease prevention compromises soil health, and yield protection undermines quality.”

Easy to operate and cost-controllable, suitable for large-scale promotion:The technical protocol is clear and easy to understand. It requires only the broadcast application of calcium ascorbate at a rate of 1 g per plant during autumn soil preparation, followed by two root irrigations at a concentration of 1 mM (1 L per plant) during the following year’s growth period. In conjunction with conventional soil covering and shed management practices, this approach eliminates the need for additional complex equipment or specialized technical training, enabling growers to quickly adopt the method. Trials have confirmed that 1 g per plant is the optimal dosage; increasing the amount does not significantly enhance efficacy, thereby effectively controlling material costs. Compared with a few high-cost prevention and control solutions, this method is better suited for large-scale ginseng cultivation scenarios in core production areas such as Northeast China and can be widely applied to fields undergoing second-cycle continuous cropping.

Dual Gains in Quality Improvement and Yield Increase, Boosting Industrial Economic Efficiency:Not only does it reduce the incidence of erythroderma, but it also promotes optimized growth in ginseng. The treated ginseng plants exhibited dark green leaves and robust stems, with both total dry weight and total fresh weight reaching 1.5 times that of the control group. This approach not only minimizes yield losses caused by diseases but also enhances the commercial value of ginseng through quality improvements (fewer lesions and better appearance), delivering dual benefits of “loss reduction and income increase” to growers and helping to address the economic challenges associated with continuous cropping in the ginseng industry.

Targeted Adaptation for Second-Crop Fields: Solving the Core Challenge of Continuous Cropping:Specifically designed to address the characteristic of ginseng being "unsuitable for continuous cropping" and the high incidence of red skin disease in second-crop fields, this solution eliminates the need to abandon existing planting plots and effectively improves land utilization. It resolves the traditional dilemma of continuous cropping, where fields either suffer from frequent diseases or are left idle and abandoned, thereby providing a viable pathway for the large-scale and sustainable development of the ginseng industry.

The Market for the Prevention and Treatment of Ginseng Red Skin Disease Has Taken Shape“Physical Improvement + Chemical Control + Biological Prevention”triadic framework, research institutions and agriculture-related enterprises are actively deploying control technologies tailored to continuous cropping scenarios, with a core focus on“Reduce Disease Incidence, Ensure Quality, and Cut Costs”Expand R&D efforts, yet differences remain in prevention and control logic, applicable scenarios, and safety performance.

Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences(Core R&D Entity) Biennial Soil-Cultivated Ginseng + Precision Land Preparation Technology. This R&D entity is a prestigious research institution in the field of medicinal plants in China, specializing in the prevention and control of pests and diseases in medicinal plants as well as cultivation techniques. It has led the formulation of multiple industry standards for ginseng cultivation, and its technological achievements have been widely applied in the main ginseng-producing regions of Northeast China. The core approach involves cultivating ginseng in soil that has undergone biennial maturation. By sifting the soil and incorporating fully decomposed organic matter, it promotes the conversion of ferrous ions (Fe²⁺) to ferric ions (Fe³⁺) in the soil, thereby preventing free iron ions from inducing red skin disease. Meanwhile, elevated and well-drained plots are selected to construct high beds, with drainage ditches excavated to enhance water drainage. Loess is mixed into the soil (with a black soil-to-loess ratio of 4:6 or 5:5) to regulate soil structure. This technology has achieved large-scale application, and field trials conducted by this institution have verified that it can reduce the incidence of red skin disease.30%~40%, and can improve soil aeration. It is suitable for planting plots at low to medium altitudes that are prone to waterlogging. Its core advantages lie in its mature technology and safe operation without risks, primarily addressing the high incidence of ginseng red skin disease in waterlogged areas.

It has been widely promoted in core production areas such as Fusong, Jilin and Huanren, Liaoning.

Changchun University of Chinese MedicineThe developed Pseudomonas putida-based biodegradation agent focuses on the prevention and control of continuous cropping obstacles in ginseng cultivation and the improvement of product quality. Backed by a professional research team and experimental bases, multiple achievements are currently in the pilot-scale promotion stage. The core strategy involves selecting a self-toxic substance-degrading agent dominated by Pseudomonas putida, to be used in conjunction with basal and top-dressing fertilizers. This approach improves the rhizosphere microecological environment of ginseng, degrades self-toxic substances in the soil (such as phenolic acid compounds), modulates the structure of soil microbial communities, and alleviates metal ion stress. The technology has completed both pot and field trials. Applications at the experimental base in Jingyu County, Jilin Province, have demonstrated that this biodegradation agent can reduce the incidence rate of red skin disease.45%~50%, the seedling survival rate of ginseng reached93%, and the content of ginsenosides increased8%~10%。

Currently in the pilot-scale promotion phase, its core advantages lie in being green and residue-free, while integrating disease control with quality enhancement. It primarily addresses red skin disease induced by autotoxic substances from continuous ginseng cropping, aligning with the requirements for green ginseng cultivation.

In summary, the current practice of replanting ginseng for a second crop faces core market pain points, including a high incidence of red skin disease and concurrent declines in both quality and yield. Traditional prevention and control measures have numerous drawbacks, creating an urgent demand for green and efficient solutions. The calcium ascorbate application technology proposed herein centers on “active immunity” and offers core advantages such as green safety, ease of operation, improved quality and increased yield, and suitability for continuous cropping scenarios. This approach differs fundamentally from the technical logic of three major competitor categories: physical, chemical, and biological methods. In light of the research and application progress of similar competing products in the market, this technology precisely resolves the contradiction between green safety and efficient quality improvement inherent in existing solutions, providing a novel and viable approach for preventing and controlling red skin disease in continuously cropped ginseng.