The yield and quality of ginger produced by micropropagated plants as compared with conventionally propagated plants

Abstract

SUMMARYMeristem-derived ‘Wynad local’ ginger plants were micropropagated in vitro. The performance of micropropagated plants (MP) in the field, as compared with conventionally grown plants (CP), was evaluated from rhizome yield and other quality factors. ‘Wynad local’ ginger is usually harvested after eight months and MP ginger rhizomes harvested at the same time werecomparable qualitatively and quantitatively to CP in the composition of starch, ash, acetone extract and volatile extract but only qualitatively similar in total oleoresin content, flavour profile, TLC aromagram and GC analysis, with less of each component than with CP ginger. The MP took two months longer cultivation to yield as much oleoresin and gingerols as inCP ginger. This difference was attributed to the fact that the micropropagated plants lacked a rhizome when planted and underwent shock during acclimatization. Periodic fluctuations in the yield and composition of various compounds are described.