Ginger Production

Monday, 24 November 2014

GINGER (Zingiber officinale)

Other names: Official ginger, Tangawizi
Ginger is native to India and China. It was one of the earliest spices known in Western Europe,
used since the ninth century. The rhizomes contains gingerol, an oleo resin that accounts for the
characteristic aroma and therapeutic properties.

Utilization

Ginger is sold as whole raw rhizomes, dried and powdered ginger, preserved or stem
ginger also crystallized and pickled ginger.

Fresh ginger is used in pickles, chutneys and curry pastes. Dried and ground ginger is a
constituent of many curry powders.

Rhizomes produce green sprouts which can be finely chopped added to a green salad.

Dried ginger is used in cakes, biscuits, bread, puddings and jams and in some drinks like
ginger beer, ginger wine and tea.

Cultivars grown in Kenya

It is essential to get the right cultivars of ginger to meet specific market requirements. Cultivars
vary widely in quality and chemical characteristics. There are 3 known types of cultivars:
Jamaican with an off-white color regarded as best quality, the Kenyan and Indian cultivars, both
with dark skin and regarded as inferior.

Ecological requirements
Ginger is tolerant to a wide range of climatic conditions. It requires a tropical climate with heavy
rain period followed by a hot dry spell. In Kenya ginger is grown on a limited scale in the

Coastal Lowlands. However opportunities exist to grow the crop in Western Kenya, mainly in
counties bordering the Lake Victoria.

Altitude
The crop can grow in areas ranging from coastal lowlands to 1500m above sea level.

Rainfall
Ginger requires 1000-2000mm of rainfall annually

Temperature
The optimum temperatures range for growing ginger is 25-300C with a mean annual range of 18270C. Ginger is not frost tolerant and low temperatures induce dormancy. Temperatures above
320C and intense sunlight can result in leaf scorch particularly in young plants. To minimize the
leaf scotch due to high temperatures it is recommended that the crop is interplanted with a cover
crop to provide shade, but ginger is best grown under open cultivation
Soils
Ginger requires fertile well drained loamy soils. Heavy clays restrict the development of bold
smooth rhizomes. On heavy soils, attention should be given to providing good drainage. Ginger
thrives well in slightly acidic soils with pH range of 4.5-6.5
Land preparation
Land preparation should be done early at least 2 months before planting. Deep cultivation is
required to ensure adequate rooting depth and to eliminate perennial weeds. It is important to
incorporate well decomposed manure to adjust soil pH and organic matter levels by the time of
planting. Ridging is necessary for best performance.
Propagation

Rhizomes for propagation should be selected at harvest, hardened and stored until next
season.

The rhizome fingers are separated into setts each approximately 2.5cm long and with at
least a visible eye to give rise to a new plant.

Setts should be pre-germinated before planting by covering with moist organic a layer of
damp sawdust.

Planting

Before planting, the setts should be dipped in a fungicide solution to minimize fungal
infection, followed by hot water treatment for 20 minutes at 480 C to eliminate
nematodes.

Setts are planted on ridges 25-30 cm apart, 15-30cm within rows and at a depth of 5-10
cm. Adequate watering is necessary for uniform germination. Shoots start appearing after
10-15 days and will continue over a period of 4-8 weeks.

Seed rate
The recommended seed rate varies from 1.5-1.7 tons/ha, depending on when the crop is to be
harvested, higher rates used if the crop is to be harvested early.

Fertilizer requirement and application

Recommended fertilizer rates vary from 100-200kgN/ha, 65kg P/ha and 80-165kg K/ha.
Phosphate fertilizers should be applied and incorporated into soil prior to planting, N and K
should be applied in 2 splits- 1st at 1-2 months after planting, 2ndat 3-4 months applied in bunds
along ridges. N can be applied in irrigation water.

Manure requirement and application

Ginger responds to organic manure and recommended rates vary from 20-50 tons/ha farmyard
manure or compost to be applied before planting.

Weeding
Weeding is critical due to an extended germination time, slow initial growth and poor early
ground cover. Manual weed control should be done with minimal disturbance to avoid crop
damage. Perennial grasses must be eliminated before planting.

Pest

The most common pests of ginger are the nematodes, Meloidogyne incognita and M. javanica.
The nematodes cause damage to the rhizomes and recommended control include crop rotation
after every 3-4 years.
Chilies are commonly rotated with ginger. Old banana fields are not suitable due to risk of
nematodes infestation

Diseases
The major diseases of ginger are soil-borne fungal rots caused by Pythium spp, Fusarium spp
and Sclertium spp which flourish in conditions of high moisture.Proper drainage and crop
rotation reduces the buildup of soil borne pathogens.

Harvesting and post harvest handling

Full maturity is attained at 8-10 months when leaves turn yellow and start to lodge.
Harvesting is done when plants are fully matured but depending on the market,
harvesting can be done before full maturity.

As plant matures volatile oil content decreases and fiber contents increase. Ginger
rhizomes for preservation are harvested at 7 months when fibre content and pungency is
still low. Ginger for fresh and dried products is harvested when volatile oil content is at
maximum, at 7-9 months.

Storage requirements

For fresh ginger, the rhizomes are washed immediately after harvest and air dried in
shade for 1-2 days to partially heal wounds prior to packaging and storage.

Fully matured ginger rhizomes are harvested and sun-dried for longer preservation. The
rhizomes are stored in slatted or wire sided boxes under cool conditions.

The packaging should be designed to allow moisture to evaporate.

Rhizomes can be stored for up to 6 months as rhizomes are adaptable and easily stores in
cupboards or in refrigerators. Dried and powdered ginger is stored airtight containers.

Yield
The average yields of 10 tons/ha fresh ginger are realized while yield range for dried ginger is in
order of 15-25% of fresh weight harvested