Influence of seed rhizome age and priming treatments on breaking dormancy and rapid multiplication of single-node seedlings in ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe)
1University of Horticultural Sciences, Bagalkot- 587104, Karnataka, India. 2University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore, Karnataka, India. Corresponding e-mail: pallavi.hm@uhsbagalkot.edu.in
DOI: https://doi.org/10.37855/jah.2025.v27i04.135
While single-node seedling technology significantly reduces seed costs in intensive ginger cultivation, the crop’s inherent 90-day postharvest dormancy often leads to poor germination and suboptimal plant stands when rhizomes are used prematurely.To achieve higher germination and a higher number of transplantable seedlings per unit area under the portray method, different-aged rhizomes and priming treatments were tested in this study. A trial was conducted at commercial scale at the College of Horticulture, Mysuru, during May 2023, following a factorial CRD design with three aged rhizome treatments and seven priming treatments to break dormancy. Results stated that the ageing process of rhizomes has overcome physiological dormancy in ginger. Seed rhizomes, 75 DAH (Days After Harvest) have ¸reduced dormancy naturally and resulted in quick and higher germination (79%) compared to 45 DAH (73%). Further, rhizomes primed with nitrate (85%) and bio-agents (81%) removed dormancy and achieved better germination and growth than the control (70%). Rightly aged rhizomes (75 DAH) primed with nitrates (KNO3) or with bio-agents showed positive response for germination and transplantable seedlings in ginger. For early planting, 45 DAH rhizomes primed with KNO3 reported higher germination (82 %) and transplantable seedlings (80.75 %).
