Directorate of Extension Education, CSKHPKV, Palampur-176062
National Symposium on Strategic Issues in Plant Pathological Research held at Department of Plant Pathology, CSK HP Krishi Vishvavidayalaya, Palampur on November 24–25, 2011
Ginger is a traditional cash crop of farmers in district Sirmour which contributes about 70% of the ginger production of the State of Himachal Pradesh. The epiphytotic outbreak of ginger yellows disease since 1987 resulted in progressive decline in its cultivation, production and productivity and by 1994–95, the area under cultivation came down to half as compared to 1984–85, production from 12700 to 2660 and productivity from 3.96 to 1.66. Considering the gravity of the problem a serious effort was made by the KVK, Dhaulakuan in collaboration with State extension departments to transfer the integrated diseases management technology to the farmers. The different components of technology included selection of healthy seed, seed treatment before storage and sowing, field rotation, balanced use of fertilizers, water drainage, rouging and spray of fungicides and intercropping of shade crops. The techniques used to transfer the technology included, trainings group discussions, individual contacts, literature distribution, method and result demonstrations and on-farm trials. The adoption of non-monetary components was about 80% as some of the practices like crop rotation, proper drainage, intercropping and seed selection before sowing are traditionally done by the farmers. Adoption of seed treatment, fertilizer use and spray of fungicides remained very low around 20%. The impact of technology transfer was recorded 1999–2000 which showed that crop germination was 96.33%, recovery of mother rhigomes of 98.67%, disease incidence 2.33% and productivity was 6.87 times. The area under cultivation, production and productivity which had come down to 802 ha, 2260 m. tons and 1.66 times during 1994–95, increased to 1360 ha, 16000 m. tons and 5.88 times in 1999–2000.
