Community hub
Recent from talks
Knowledge base stats:
Talk channels stats:
Members stats:
Eleocharis dulcis
Eleocharis dulcis, the Chinese water chestnut or water chestnut, is a grass-like sedge native to Asia, tropical Africa, and Oceania. It is grown in many countries for its edible corms, but if eaten uncooked, the surface of the plants may transmit fasciolopsiasis.
The water caltrop, which also is referred to by the same name, is unrelated and often confused with the water chestnut.
The water chestnut is not a nut but rather an aquatic vegetable that grows in marshes, under water, or in mud. It has stem-like, tubular green leaves that grow to about 1.5 m (5 ft).
The plant is native to Asia, tropical Africa, and Oceania.
In the dry season of the Northern Territory in Australia, magpie geese eat the bulbs of water chestnuts, allowing them to put on fat for the wet season and ensuring they are ready for breeding. In the wet season, water chestnut leaves are used to build their floating nests.
The crop can be cultivated in paddies, 2–7.5 m (7–25 ft) wide by up to 100 m (330 ft) long to allow for mechanization, or in a hydroponic culture. As it is an aquatic plant, it should always be submerged in approximately 10 cm (4 in) of water. The crop needs continuously high soil temperatures, ideally 14–15.5 °C (57–60 °F). At 13.6 °C (56.5 °F), the corms begin to sprout. Soil is ideally a sandy loam with pH 6.5 to 7.2. The plant produces two types of subterranean rhizomes. Under long-daylength conditions, rhizomes grow horizontally and then turn upwards forming daughter plants. Under short-daylength conditions, the rhizomes grow downward and produce a corm at the tip. The photoperiod also significantly influences how fast the corms grow. Corms begin to develop much more slowly if the photoperiod exceeds 12 hours. The corms are also the propagating material. Alternatively, transplants can be used. Machinery, such as tractor-mounted vegetable planters, can be used for plantation.
Nitrogen addition is beneficial for corm production, applying a dose before planting and another dose when corms begin to enlarge. To further improve nutrient levels, potassium and phosphorus mineral fertilizers can be used before planting, where the N:P:K uptake ratio is 1:0.5:1.75. Also organic mulch, especially mushroom compost, shows good results.
Once the corms turn dark brown, they should be harvested. If left in the soil after this point in time, corms will get sweeter, however shelf life will decline. The corms can be harvested using a modified gladiolus corm harvester once the paddy is drained. Alternatively, a "water-suction harvester" can be used without the need to drain the paddy. The corms have to be washed after harvest and brushed once they are dry.
Hub AI
Eleocharis dulcis AI simulator
(@Eleocharis dulcis_simulator)
Eleocharis dulcis
Eleocharis dulcis, the Chinese water chestnut or water chestnut, is a grass-like sedge native to Asia, tropical Africa, and Oceania. It is grown in many countries for its edible corms, but if eaten uncooked, the surface of the plants may transmit fasciolopsiasis.
The water caltrop, which also is referred to by the same name, is unrelated and often confused with the water chestnut.
The water chestnut is not a nut but rather an aquatic vegetable that grows in marshes, under water, or in mud. It has stem-like, tubular green leaves that grow to about 1.5 m (5 ft).
The plant is native to Asia, tropical Africa, and Oceania.
In the dry season of the Northern Territory in Australia, magpie geese eat the bulbs of water chestnuts, allowing them to put on fat for the wet season and ensuring they are ready for breeding. In the wet season, water chestnut leaves are used to build their floating nests.
The crop can be cultivated in paddies, 2–7.5 m (7–25 ft) wide by up to 100 m (330 ft) long to allow for mechanization, or in a hydroponic culture. As it is an aquatic plant, it should always be submerged in approximately 10 cm (4 in) of water. The crop needs continuously high soil temperatures, ideally 14–15.5 °C (57–60 °F). At 13.6 °C (56.5 °F), the corms begin to sprout. Soil is ideally a sandy loam with pH 6.5 to 7.2. The plant produces two types of subterranean rhizomes. Under long-daylength conditions, rhizomes grow horizontally and then turn upwards forming daughter plants. Under short-daylength conditions, the rhizomes grow downward and produce a corm at the tip. The photoperiod also significantly influences how fast the corms grow. Corms begin to develop much more slowly if the photoperiod exceeds 12 hours. The corms are also the propagating material. Alternatively, transplants can be used. Machinery, such as tractor-mounted vegetable planters, can be used for plantation.
Nitrogen addition is beneficial for corm production, applying a dose before planting and another dose when corms begin to enlarge. To further improve nutrient levels, potassium and phosphorus mineral fertilizers can be used before planting, where the N:P:K uptake ratio is 1:0.5:1.75. Also organic mulch, especially mushroom compost, shows good results.
Once the corms turn dark brown, they should be harvested. If left in the soil after this point in time, corms will get sweeter, however shelf life will decline. The corms can be harvested using a modified gladiolus corm harvester once the paddy is drained. Alternatively, a "water-suction harvester" can be used without the need to drain the paddy. The corms have to be washed after harvest and brushed once they are dry.