Method of Seed Production

Method of Seed Production
    Important cultivars
    • The indigenous varieties are; Maran, Kuruppampadi, Ernad Wynad local Thingpuri, Jorhat, Tinladium, Burdwan, Suprabha, Suruchi, Surari, Tura, Tuni, Malli, and Varada,
    Soil
    • Ginger thrives best in well drained soils like sandy or clay loam, red loam or lateritic loam.
    • A friable loam, rich in humus is ideal.
    • However being an exhaustive crop, soil should be rich in fertility.
    • Soil of pH 6 – 7.0 is preferred.
    Climate
    • Ginger grows best in warm and humid climate.
    • It is mainly cultivated in the tropics from sea level to an attitude of 1500m, both under rainfed and irrigated conditions.
    • For successful cultivation of the crop a moderate rainfall at the sowing time till the rhizomes sprout, fairly heavy and well distributed showers during the growing period, and dry weather with a temperature of 28 to 35°C for about a month before harvesting are necessary.
    • Prevalence of high humidity throughout the crop period is desirable.
    Season
    • The time of planting is important since the soil must be moist and not dry out since once the setts are sown and, in general, the earlier in the season the crop is planted the higher the yield, especially with rain grown crops.
    • Planting starts after the commencement of south-west monsoon mostly between March-June. However, ginger can be planted any time during the year in green where irrigation facilities are assured.
    Seed rate
    • 1500-1800 kg ha-1 and it varies from region to region.
    Optimum size of planting material
    • In vegetatively propagated crop mostly the size and weight of the propagule require extra ordinary care for the success of the crop.
    • The review of the researchers conducted on the characteristics of rhizome for better yield revealed that the seed weight is the primary criteria for selection of the mother rhizome.
    • The rhizomes with weight of 15 to 150 grams or are 3-5 cm or 4-5 buds / rhizomes are recommended for better crop establishment and higher yield.
    Rhizome treatment
    • Seed rhizome should be treated with 200 ppm ethephon for 15 minutes to increase the number of root and shoot per seed rhizome.
    • Water soaking for 10 min. at 51°C followed with pre-plant soaking of rhizomes in 750 ppm ethephon for increased number of shoot and resultant rhizome yield.
    • In Australia also rhizome treatment with etherl is recommended for increased root and shoots growth they also insist in India, the gamma radiation with rhizome reduced the root, shoot growth and rhizome yield.
    Spacing
    • Ginger should be planted on raised beds and spacing to be given is 9” x 9” (or) 6” x 6” spacing spacing is optimum.
    Manures and fertilizers
    • In ginger rhizome production has been found to increase by fertilizer management, either with organic, inorganic or biofertilizers.
    • Application of need cake @ 2t ha-1 and cattle manure @ 25-30 t ha-1 for improving the rhizome yield is recommended.
    • The combination of NPK levels of different doses were also evaluated worldwide and a fertilizer recommendation ranges from 40 to 225 kg for N, 40 to 90 kg for P and 40 to 180 kg for K depending on the place of production.
    Mulching
    • Application of green leaf at 20,000 pounds per acre as mulch will enhance the yield.
    Irrigation
    • Water requirement of ginger is 1320-1520 mm during complete crop cycle.
    • In areas receiving less rainfall, the crop needs regular irrigation.
    • Irrigations are given at intervals of 10 days with a total to 16-18 irrigations.
    • Germination stage, rhizome initiation stage and rhizome development stage are critical for irrigation.
    Foliar application
    • Foliar spray at 45 and 75 days after planting with Zn 0.3%, Fe 0.2% and B 0.2% alone or in combination increased yield.
    Special operation
    Earthing up
    • Soil stirring and earthing up are essential special operation as it helps in enlargement of daughter rhizomes, provides adequate aeration for roots and protects the rhizome from scale insects.
    • Earthing up is mostly combined with weeding and mulching.
    Physiological disorders
    Deficiency Symptom
    Iron Chlorosis

    Maturation
    • Rhizomes are left to mature and develop their full aroma, flavour and pungency when required for oil.
    • Time to harvest thus varies with locality and cultivar and is based mainly on local experience.
    • However, rhizomes can be harvested on the 180th DAP for obtaining mild ginger with good crisp texture.
    • Ginger can be harvested between 8-9 months after planting depending upon the variety, agro climate condition and its usage.
    • If the rhizomes are used for vegetable purpose for preparation of ginger preserve, candy, soft drinks, pickles and alcoholic beverages harvesting should be done at 4-5 months.
    • If it is used for dried ginger and preparation of ginger oil oleoresin, harvesting is to be done between 8 and 10 months.
    Plant protection
    Pests
    Shoot borer
    • Spraying of dimethoate 30 EC 2 ml/lit or phosphamidon 40 SL 2 ml/lit.
    Leaf roller
    • Spraying of carbaryl 50 WP 2 g/ha or quinalphos 25 EC 2 ml/lit.
    Diseases
    Soft rot (Pythium sp.)
    • Lack of drainage and continued dampness expose the plants to infection.
    • The disease spreads through the seed rhizomes and soil. In the field drenching the bed with 2.5 g/lit of Copper oxychloride or 1% Bordeaux mixture or Metalaxylmancozeb 4 g/lit.
    • The seed rhizomes treatment with Mancozeb or Copper oxychloride 3 g/lit or 200ppm Streptocycline for 30 minutes before storage is recommended.
    Leaf spot
    • Spraying with 1 % Bordeaux mixture or Copper oxychloride 0.25%.
    Harvesting
    • Harvesting is usually manual, plants being carefully lifted from the soil to prevent damage.
    Yield
    • Average yield of green varies from 15 to 25 t/ha.
    Storage
    • Harvested rhizomes treated with CCC at 250-1250 ppm and stored with or without saw dust inhibited shoot growth during storage. After storage the rhizomes are soaked for 24 h in 50%. Coconut water is used to break dormancy (Hasanah ad Satyastuti, 1989).
    • Dipping ginger rhizome in imazalil of 0.8 g a.i / lit gave good control of storage fungi and smoking ginger seed rhizomes once or twice before storage by spreading them on the floor resulted in a higher yield of subsequent crop than the storage of non-smoked seed in pits.
    • Storing of ginger seed rhizomes in 100 gauge white polythene bags (WPB) with 3% ventilation covered by dry sand was found to be more effective method of storage.
    Field Standards

    		 FS CS
    Minimum isolation distance 10 5
    Off types (%) max. permitted Nil 0.5
    Seed Standards
    • The rhizome should be clean, healthy from healthy field’s plants, bold firm and conform to the varietal characteristics.
    • Not conforming to varietal characteristics, it should not exceed 0.10% for foundation seed, 0.2% for certified seeds.
    • Cut, bruised, diseased, injured rhizomes or those damaged by maggots shall not exceed more than 0.2% by weight.
    • Maximum tolerance limit of rhizomes showing visible symptoms caused by diseases like rhizome rot, ginger yellow and ginger maggot – FS – None, CS – None.

Last modified: Monday, 25 June 2012, 4:36 AM