Genetic resources of ginger (Zingiber officinale Rose.) and its conservation in India

Abstract

Ginger (Zingiber officinaIe Rosc.) is believed to have originated in southeast Asia and now occurs only under cultivation. India is one of the world's leading ginger-producing countries. Ginger is also grown in almost all tropical countries (southern China, Taiwan, Philippines, Sierra Leon e, Jamaica, Nigeria, Indonesia, Malaysia) . Many land races and improved cultivars of ginger which excel in yield and one or more quality traits are available in India. Considerable variability for yield and yield-contributing traits are found in India's ginger germplasm. Geographical spread accompanied by genetic differentiation and divergence into locally adapted populations might have been responsible for the variation encountered in this clonally propagated crop. A germplasm conservatory with 475 accessions of ginger and 988 accessions of related taxa is maintained at NRCS, Calicut.