Influence of sett size and spacing on yield and multiplication ratio of ginger (<i>Zingiber officinale</i> Rosc.)

Abstract

Four sett sizes (1, 2, 5, and 10 g) of ginger (Zingiber officinale Rosc.) and three spacings 12 cm W12 cm, 15 cm W 15 cm, and 15 cm W 23 cm) were studied for their effect on sprouting, vegetative growth, yield, and multiplication ratio. Percent sprouting in moist sawdust under greenhouse conditions was highest for the 10 g sett class and decreased with reduction in sett size. The largest and the smallest sett sizes had 100 and 75 per cent sprouting, respectively. There was a direct relationship between sett size planted and both vegetative growth and rhizome yield. The contrary was observed in sett size to rhizome ratio (multiplication ratio). The smallest sett size yielded a multiplication ratio of 9.85 compared to 4.78 for the largest sett size. Of the three spacing regimens investigated, the wider spacings produced higher vegetative growth as well as rhizome yield per plant. However, rhizome yield/ha was adversely affected by wider spacing. The highest yield of 29.69 t/ha was produced from the largest sett size (10 g) planted at the closest spacing of 12 cm W 12 cm. The combination of smallest sett size and widest spacing produced the lowest rhizome yield of 3.37 t/ha.



Ghana Jnl agric. Sci. Vol.31(2) 1998: 175-180