Abstract

Cultivation of ginger (Zingiber officinale Rosc.) is widespread in Malabar district. This crop is subject to a serious disease viz., rhizome rot and wilt, caused by three species of Pythium (P. aphanidermatum (Edson) Fitzpatrick, P. myriotylum Dreschler and P. vexans de Bary). Infection is prevalent in storage and in field. During 1950 when large quantities of seed material had to be purchased from the growers for experi- mental purposes at the Agricultural Research, Station, Pattambi, it was found that many of the rhizomes were considerably shrunk and had a white growth of fungal mycelium on the surface. Careful examination of the diseased material showed that the rhizomes were infected by Sclerotium rolfsii Saco. Mustard-seed-like sclerotia were observed on several of the diseased rhizomes. Park (1937) has recorded from Ceylon, the occurrence of this fungus, infecting ginger rhizomes superficially, Examination of the local material revealed that the infection was not merely superficial but also internal. Therefore experiments were conducted to find out the role of S. rolfsii in causing the rotting of rhizomes in ginger.

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