2018 ASHS Annual Conference

Ginger (Zingiber officinale, Roscoe) is a high antioxidant spice crop grown for its rhizomes which are used as condiments in various dishes, as medicinals, and as antimicrobials. Native to tropical Asia, it is an herbaceous perennial, which is propagated directly from rhizome pieces that grow optimally in the extended growing season. Under short season conditions, its development is limited, but it has been produced from seed pieces or multi-tillered seedlings derived from rhizome pieces of about 60 – 120 grams. However, there is the potential to increase the number of seedlings derived from seed pieces and the need to determine if pre-sprouting storage of the rhizomes affect budding and seedling production. Thus, a study was conducted to determine if storage of organic ginger rhizomes in organic mix or paper prior to propagation had any influence on sprouting and seedling production. Organic ginger rhizomes harvested in late fall, were covered in organic mix or paper and kept at 20-23.2°C for 4 months until they were removed for propagation in a greenhouse. The growing environment was organic mix in flats where the temperature ranged from 22.2- 36.1°C . The study was conducted as a completely random design with the covers as treatments and three replications. Neither paper nor an organic mix cover affected the number of buds produced prior to propagation, or number of sprouts produced after propagation. Seedling sprouting occurred slowly over the first month. After nine weeks, the average rhizome weight required to produce a seedling, (conversion efficiency) was 50 grams or less. The results indicate that producing multiple seedlings from rhizome pieces may be feasible for producing ginger, particularly, if the seedlings can be started early to give a head start on their tiller number when transplanted.