Nongzheng Quanshu (Comprehensive Book on Agriculture) was authored by the Ming Dynasty scientist Xu Guangqi. This book summarizes many of the agricultural production experiences and techniques of ancient Chinese laborers. It cites over three hundred ancient works and documents. The book discusses the impact of climate, geography, and superior varieties on agricultural production, introduces agricultural production techniques, and provides detailed explanations of three key agricultural measures: land reclamation, water conservancy, and crop rotation.

After Xu Guangqi's death, his son Xu Ji presented the book to Emperor Chongzhen. It was officially published and distributed in the twelfth year of the Chongzhen era (1639 AD).

The Nongzheng Quanshu (Volume 27, Tree Cultivation) provides a detailed account of sweet potato cultivation, storage, and processing methods. It mentions techniques such as winter survival of sweet potato seedlings, stem cutting for propagation, cuttings, and storage in cellars or dry places. This book is the earliest systematic work to introduce sweet potato cultivation.

The Nongzheng Qianshu not only had a significant impact on Chinese agronomy but also influenced the development of agronomy in Japan. Japanese agronomist Miyazaki Yasutomi, during the Edo period, referenced the Nongzheng Quan Shu and combined it with his own observations to write in 1695 (the seventh year of Genroku).

References

• 農政全書 (Chinese)

農政全書為中國明代科學家徐光啟所作。這部書總結了中國古代勞動人民的許多農業生產經驗和技術。引用了古代著作和文獻三百多種。該書講了氣候、地理、優種對農業生產的影響，介紹了農業生產技術，對屯興水利、三項農業措施作了詳細闡述。這本書在徐光啟死後由其子徐驥將此書推介給崇禎帝，于崇禎十二年（公元1639年）正式出版發行。

《農政全書》（卷二十七·樹藝）詳細記述了番薯的種植、貯藏、加工法，並提到番薯育苗越冬、剪莖分種、扦插、窖藏幹藏等技術，是最早系統介紹番薯種植法的著作。

《農政全書》不僅在中國，也對日本的農學發展起到了一定的影響，日本江戶時代農學者宮崎安貞即參考《農政全書》並結合自身考察經驗，于1695年（元祿7年）寫成了《》。

參考資料

• 农政全书 (維基百科)