Next generation organic inputs on the soft rot disease, growth, yield and quality of ginger, Zingiber officinale L., grown in Sikkim Himalaya

Abstract: Ginger is one of the major cash crops of Sikkim and being an organic state, maintaining sustainability in ginger cultivation is a challenge especially in the changing climate scenario. Soft rot caused by Pythium aphanidermatum is a major problem in ginger cultivation and the disease has resulted into reduction in the acreage under the crop in this Himalayan state. Conventional exhaustive organic inputs, self renewable organic inputs like plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) were tested against the soft rot incidence in ginger for two consecutive years. Two local varieties, namely, Bhaise and Majouley were used with conventional organic inputs and PGPR, alone and in combinations. The disease causing organism was challenge inoculated. The disease symptoms were assessed by visual scoring. In addition, growth and yield parameters were recorded. The results revealed that PGPR along with the other organic inputs have a significant effect on disease suppression in addition to promoting the growth and yield parameters like plant height, number of leaves, number of tillers, leaf area and yield per plant. The information generated can act as a readily available environmentally safe method for the management of soft rot in ginger through organic means.