Ginger

Species
Zingiber officianale
Species description
Family
Zingiberaceae
Habit
Herbs
Status
More than 275 accessions are conserved in IISR field repositories.
Importance of the Species
Used commonly as a spice and has medicinal value.
Studies Carried Out
Micropropagation
A complete protocol developed using germinating rhizomes tips and vegetative buds.
Somatic embryogenesis
Embryos established from the callus of leaf and vegetative buds. A high rate conversion of these somatic embryos into plantlets has been achieved.
Cost reduction
The cost of carbon source and gelling agent of the nutrient media reduced by using alternative sugars and gelling agents. By this, the cost of the media is brought down by 94% on per plant basis.
Isolation of somaclones
Variation induced in the explants of buds during surface sterilization and in the callus during subculturing by a chemical mutagen Ethyl Methane Sulphonate (EMS) and a physical mutagen (Gamma radiation). Two variants having broad leaf and elongated leaf shoots isolated field trials under process.
Isolation of rhizome not resistant lines
Using a crude toxin extract from culture filterate of Phythium aphanidermatum on vegetative buds and callus, few plantlets isolated that do not show the symptoms of rot. Their capacity to be established in field is being studied.
Conservation by slow growth
Rooted plantlets grow in minimum medium to induce slow growth. Cultures maintained without subculture atleast for 12 months with 80% survival. 50 accession maintained in the in vitro gene bank since 1995.