Effect of planting time and harvest on yield and quality of ginger (Zingiber officinale Rosc.) cv. Nadia

Abstract

In the present study, the effect of different planting time and harvest on yield and quality of ginger (Zingiber officinale Rosc.) cv. Nadia were evaluated. The experiment was laid out in Split Plot Design with dates of planting as main treatment (30th March, 30th April and 30th May) and five harvesting time as sub-treatments (6 MAP, 7 MAP, 8 MAP, 9 MAP and 10 MAP) with three replications. The study revealed that harvesting time effectively influenced on the quality of ginger. Planting time showed significant effect on almost all the characters except for fibre content. The quality of ginger rhizome such as oil content, dry recovery and oleoresin content had significant influence on both the planting time and the harvesting time. Planting of rhizomes on 30th April resulted better yield and yield attributing characters. Among different harvesting time, harvesting at 8 MAP recorded significantly higher fresh weight of ginger and quality characters. The treatment (M2H3) i.e. April planting time and harvesting at 8 MAP exhibited higher yield and yield attributing characters viz. length of finger (8.69 cm), girth of finger (8.09 cm), fresh weight of rhizome plant-1 (1310.03 g), yield plot-1 (11.98 kg), and yield ha-1 (31.53 t). Planting in the month of April and harvesting at 9 MAP (M2H4) recorded better quality rhizome with high oil (2.83%), oleoresin (15.74%) and dry recovery (23.83%) with less fibre content (4.9%) followed by planting in April and harvest at 8 MAP (M2H3).