Academic Research Journal of Agricultural Science and Research
 

Academic Research Journal of Agricultural Science and Research 

Vol. 4(4), pp. 117-123. July, 2016.

ISSN: 2360-7874 

 DOI: 10.14662/ARJASR2016.011

Full Length Research

Influence of Different Storage Methods on the Viability and Field Establishment of Seed Rhizome Ginger (Zingiber officinale Rosc.) in Ethiopia

¹Girma Hailemichael*, ²Mesfin Seyoum

¹Tepi National Spices Research Center. E-mail: girmah2003@gmail.com

Accepted 25 April 2016

Three to four months time gap between harvesting and next planting of ginger that could lead to significant loss of planting materials necessitated devising appropriate storage method (s) of seed rhizome ginger. This experiment was conducted for two cropping seasons (2009 and 2010) to assess and identify suitable storage method (s) using two promising ginger varieties (Yali and Tepi local) and five types of storage methods. The storage treatments included: keeping seed rhizomes under thatched roof shelter on the ground, thatched roof shelter on one meter raised bed or structure, in ground pits covered with thin grass mulch, buried in pits and under tree shade covered with mulch materials. Necessary data of ginger rhizomes were recorded at different stages (before planting, during harvest and after planting) and analyzed. Percent shriveled of rhizomes were significantly influenced among the varieties. Maximum shriveled (41%) rhizomes were obtained from Tepi local. All other parameters were not significantly affected by variety. However, the storage methods significantly influenced all the parameters considered. Maximum seed rhizome viability 85.7 and 85.4% were recorded from seed rhizomes kept under tree shade and from seed rhizomes kept in pits covered with mulch materials, respectively. Whereas maximum fresh rhizome yield 282.4 and 275.2 Q•ha-1 (quintal per hectare) were obtained from seed rhizomes kept under tree shade covered with mulch materials and from seed rhizomes kept under thatched roof shelter on the ground. The results disclosed that there are more safe options to keep seed rhizomes which could be designed and constructed easily at farmers' level.

Key words: Seed setts, rhizomes, harvesting, storage methods, sprouting, planting, mulch

 

How to cite this article: Hailemichael G, Seyoum M (2016). Influence of Different Storage Methods on the Viability and Field Establishment of Seed Rhizome Ginger (Zingiber officinale Rosc.) in Ethiopia. Acad. Res. J. Agri. Sci. Res. 4(4): 117-123

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