Production Practices for North American Ginseng: Challenges and Opportunities

North American ginseng production may have been maximized in the traditional growing areas in the last decade and further increases may be in woods grown root, for niche markets. The marketplace demands high quality roots. Most problems leading to low quality roots start with the grower and can be avoided. These include poor site selection, inadequate soil drainage, untimely and poorly applied pesticides, and neglect of good sanitary practices. Selection of low lying sites increased the plant damage from frost in Ontario in May 2002. Seeding is still the major method of propagation of ginseng in spite of some success in culturing different parts of the plant. Opportunities exist for shortening the stratification period of North American ginseng seed to allow spring planting. This may reduce disease incidence. Since only one-third of ginseng seed sown ultimately produces plants harvested after 3 years any approach that reduces disease incidence and improves seed germination, seedling emergence and crop stand must be pursued. Disease is the major problem in ginseng cutivation from seed stratification, soil preparation prior to planting, right through to drying of the roots. Replant disease remains as an unresolved problem and needs full characterization and new approaches for control. Much progress has been made in research and related extension activities in disease control although challenges will arise such as with Quintozene and its replacement with Quadris for control of diseases caused by Rhizoctonia. Decreased labor populations and increased associated costs for ginseng production are causing rapid mechanization in every aspect of the ginseng industry. Engineers, machinery dealers, and fabricators, and growers are being challenged to increase efficiency by mechanization.