Zingeber officinale Roscoe

BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Z.officinale is a knotted, thick, an erect and aromatic herb with branched underground stem called rhizome which can grow from year to year if the rhizomes are left in the ground; bears seed very rarely.

The stem extends roughly 12 inches above ground with long, narrow, ribbed, green leaves, and white or yellowish-green flowers. It’s a perennial creeping plant, with thick tuberous rhizome, producing an erect stem 30 - 150 cm (1-5 ft) tall depending on the variety and condition under which it is grown.

The lance-shaped leaves are bright green, 15 - 20 cm (6-8 in) long, 2 cm wide with a prominent longitudinal rib, enclosing conical clusters of small yellow-green flowers marked with purple speckles.

It is propagated from rhizome cuttings, planted on rich, well drained loam. It requires a tropical climate with both a heavy rain season and a hot dry season. Plants shoot in ten days and are harvested after nine to ten months.

GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION

The plant is widely cultivated all over India, Bangladesh, Taiwan, Jamaica and Nigeria.

CLIMATE

Ginger can be grown in any place in the country and it grows in warm climate. It grows well from sea level to an elevation of 1500 meters. Optimum elevation is from 300-900 meters above sea level. Growth diminishes at a much higher elevations.
Ginger requires a relatively high temperature and relative humidity. Optimum temperature for its growth is between 25 to 30 ˚C. Temperature higher than 35 ˚C will cause leaf scorching. Optimum annual rainfall for a successful ginger production is 200-300cm while ginger could be raised.

SOIL

Ginger grows in fertile, moist, tropical soil and can be planted on rich, well drained loam.

POLLINATION

Pollination has only been observed in a few spesies of Zingeberaceae, but butterflies and moths seem to play a major role. Ants and bees have been seen to visit several Amomum and Alpinia species, and may be pollinating agents.