Efficient agroforestry system using fiber grow bag of medicinal plant, Asparagus cochinchinensis (Lour.) Merr

Abstract Forest cultivation of medicinal plants is environmentally friendly, but selecting the optimal cultivation site is difficult and it is necessary to overcome competition with weeds. Fiber growth bags are pots made of non-woven fabric that are light, inexpensive, and have excellent drainage properties. In this study, we investigated the optimal conditions for forest cultivation of Asparagus cochinchinensis using fiber growth bags. The soil temperature of the fiber growth bag was not significantly different from the soil temperature of the experimental site. The survival rate of the above-ground part was highest in large fiber growth pockets, and the growth of the underground part also showed differences depending on the size of the fiber growth pocket. The above-ground growth of A. cochinchinensis did not show significant differences depending on planting density. Planting under conifers was suitable in terms of above-ground growth. Above-ground shoot growth was higher when planted on a northern slope than on a southern slope. The photosynthetic rate of A. cochinchinensis was slightly lower than that of other wild plants. The maximum quantum yield was over 0.8, confirming that there were no problems with photosynthetic growth during forest cultivation using fiber growth bags. The content of asparagine, an important bioactive substance, in A. cochinchinensis was approximately 9.9 times higher than that grown on farms. In other words, in the case of A. cochinchinensis forest cultivation, the production method using fiber growth bags is an excellent production method and is considered to be apply to other wild vegetable cultivation.