Comparison of conventional and transplant production systems on yield and quality of ginger (Zingiber officinale)

Ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe), is an important horticultural crop and its rhizomes possess myriad health benefits. Three year field experiment (2012-13 to 2014-15) comprising four different planting systems (two transplant and two direct plant) were compared for yield and quality at ICAR-Indian Institute of Spices Research, Kozhikode, Kerala, India. The experiment was conducted to study the performance of transplant production system of ginger for commercial cultivation with comparable yield and quality to conventional planting. The different planting systems influenced the subsequent growth and yield in the field but not significantly. Among yield contributing characters, leaf length showed significant differences among the planting systems. The maximum pooled mean (20.39 t/ha) was recorded by direct planting (20-25 g) followed by two sprout transplant (20.17 t/ha) and single sprout transplant (19.86 t/ha) system. The mean yield of transplant and conventional planting of rhizomes showed no significant difference. The quality parameters in the rhizomes of conventional and transplant systems with respect to the oleoresin, crude fibre and essential oil were comparable. The essential oil of four different planting systems was analyzed by GC-MS. In all the four treatments, the major constituent was zingiberene (24.17% - 26.61%) although the composition was by and large similar. The results of this study demonstrated the suitability of single sprout transplant system by considering the reduction in seed rhizome quantity and eventually reduced cost on seed rhizomes, without significant reduction in yield and quality.