MANAGEMENT OF RHIZOME ROT DISEASE OF GINGER (ZINGIBER OFFICINALE Rose.) BY SOIL SOLARISATION

Abstract

Rhizome rot caused by Pylhium aphanidermatum (Edson) Fitz. is the main production constraint in all ginger growing tracts. As a disease management practice, soil solarisation technique was adopted. This was further integrated with seed treatment and soil drenches with Mancozeb, Captafol, Chlorothalonil and Ridomil-Mancozeb. For comparison, the whole experiment was also conducted under nonsolarised conditions In Pythium sick soil. Soil temperature and pathogen population were monitored in solarised and non-solarised plots. Soil solarisation effectively suppressed P. aphanidermatum in soil and as a consequence germination was increased and the incidence of rhizome rot reduced. This in turn reflected in increased yield of rhizomes in solarised plols.