Biorational management of ginger rhizome rot in north-western Himalaya

Rhizome rot of ginger (Zingiber officinale), an economically important disease is a fungal complex comprising species of Pythium and Fusarium. To manage this disease bio-rationally, field experiment was carried out at the Research farm of the Regional Research Station (Punjab Agricultural University), Ballowal Saunkhri, Punjab for two consecutive years in 2022 and 2023. Hot water, bioagents (Trichoderma harzianum and Pseudomonas fluorescens), a chemical as a standard check were used to treat the seed rhizomes before sowing including an untreated control. Results of two years study revealed that T7 (rhizome treatment in hot water at 51°C for 10 min followed by treatment with Trichoderma harzianum @ 15 g/kg seed) was found most effective in both years to check rhizome rot as least disease incidence (40.0% & 50.0%) as compare to untreated control with highest germination (83.3% & 80.0%) and yield (20.3 t/ha & 18.6 t/ha) was recorded in this treatment. However, the chemical treatment T14 (Ridomil Gold (64% w/w mancozeb + 4% w/w metalaxyl-M) @ 2 g/l water) as a standard chemical check exhibited lowest disease incidence (20.0 %, & 43.3%), highest germination (98.3 % & 93.3 %) and yield (25.3 t/ha 21.1 t/ha).