Effects of Ridge Height, Planting Density and Irrigation on Growth and Yield of Licorice

Growth and yield of licorice were investigated under the different conditions of ridge height, planting density, and irrigation in order to establish its cultural practices for the domestic production with the aim to substitute the import. Seedlings were grown under low ridge(20cm) and high ridge(40cm) in low density plot(60 X 30cm) and high density plot(40 x 30cm), respectively. The low ridge cultivation of large seedlings increased plant height and root length under low density, and stem and root diameter under high density compared to the high ridge cultivation. In the high ridge cultivation, high density plot was 1.1 to 1.3 times in plant height, root length, stem and root diameter as high as low density one. Fresh and dry weight of plant and root in high ridge were 1.3 to 1.5 times as high as those in low one. The growth of small seedlings(4~10g) were generally poor compared to that of large seedlings. High density plot in low ridge showed the good growth characteristics including plant height, root length, stem and root diameter, and number of branch. High density plot was 1.4 to 1.6 times in fresh and dry weight of plant and root as high as low density plot. In the seasonal changes of growth under various irrigation regimes, the twice irrigation a day produced the more number of leaf than the other regimes since around 46 days after transplanting. The former irrigation resulted in 1.2 to 1.4 times in plant height as long as the other irrigations around 26 days after transplanting and then the difference was increased to 1.6 to 2.0 times around 64 days after transplanting. Under the twice irrigation a day, plant height, root length, stem diameter, root diameter, number of leaf, fresh plant weight, dry plant weight, fresh root weight, dry root weight were 1.6 to 2.0, 1.1, 1.2 to 1.6, 1.3 to 1.8, 1.9 to 2.7, 1.7 to 8.0, 1.6 to 2.8, 2.0 to 3.0, 1.6 to 2.7 times as high as those under the other irrigation regimes, respectively.