Effect of gamma irradiation In ginger

Abstract

Investigation was carried out at the College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, during 1983 – 84, to study the effect of gamma irradiation on germination, vegetative growth, flowering, yield, quality attributes and incidence of soft rot disease in ginger using four doses of gamma rays (0.7, 1, 1.5, 2.k rad). Irradiation treatments produced inhibitory effects on the germination of ginger rhizomes. The plant height, tiller production, leaf production, leaf size and leaf area index decreased with the increase in irradiation dosages. Flowering behaviour of ginger could not be altered by the levels of gamma irradiation tried. Rhizome yield reduced as the irradiation dose increased. The treatments did not differ significantly with regard to essential oil and oleoresin content of both green and dry ginger ; oleoresin of ginger peel and percentage recovery of dry rhizomes. However, the incidence of soft rot disease could be highly reduced by gamma irradiation.