observed at the collas regions. Good drainage and spraying and drenching the nursery with 1% Boradeaux mixture are recommended.
arvesting and Post Harvest Technolgy
stage, tender stage (gathered for making pickles), brown seed ving a shrivelled appearance); dark seed stage (right stage for les are picked with the stalk end intact and the fully ripe stage heir small seeds. The fruits should be harvested with peduncles as and g/ha and third year it is 100 ut e even after 25 years. Replanting is essential after 15
are almost juicy. Therefore, curing is necessary done to remove moisture om is lost
ed. Immediately after drying they should be stored as otherwise they reabsorbs re. The general complaint is that the sun dried capsules cannot be stored
ully due to the fact that still wet. In due course, they are exposed to attack by Due to lack of regulation of heat in the case of sun drying and lack of
green colou arket.
. Artificial curing : It is a locally devised, heating mud platform through wood fire. In 6. Nursery leaf spot (Phyllosticta elettariae) : Pale specks appear on the leaf lamina, which dries up and becomes papery white. Spraying with Captafol (0.2%) at fornightly intervals is effective in controlling the disease.
H
Harvesting : Cardamom commences to yield from the third year onwards, but good yields are expected from the fifth year. The peak harvesting period is October-November but it is done at intervals of 30-40 days and completed in 5-6 months. In Kerala and Tamil Nadu, harvesting is from September to February and in Karnataka region it is from August to December. While harvesting, each panicle is searched carefully for the fruits in the correct stage of ripeness for picking. Considerable skill and experience are required for efficient picking. At the time of harvest, capsules are at different stages of maturity and distinguished as bud
stage (shrink on drying gi curing) and the capsu
picked for seed purpose only. If they are left to ripen further, the fruits split during drying. If picked underripe, the fruits will shrink while drying resulting in a shrivelled appearance with t
when they are ready. They should not be stripped.
At first year 25 to 50 kg/ha, second year 50 to 70 k Yield :
kg/ha. Yield of dry cardamoms from estates of good bearing age is reported to be abo 120 kg/ha. Normally a yield of 150 to 200 kg of dry cardamom per ha is expected and
well-grown clumps yield more than one anything below is considered poor. Large
kilogram. After fifteen years, the yield of cardamom decreases although there are som plantations giving record yields
years.
Curing of Cardamoms
om when picked Capsules of cardam
before they are stored and marketed. Sometimes sulphuring is
nd it bleaches then also. Due to sulphuring, the natural colour of the cardam a
and this fetch low price. Therefore, this method of curing is not advised.
1. Sun drying: Sun drying of cardamoms is a common practice where the environmental conditions are favourable. It takes 3-4 days and the capsules get dried and bleach
oistu m successf
diseases or insects.
ration of pods, they fetch low prices in the m 2
this device, there is a hollow platform about 60 cm wide and 180-240 cm long running along are side of a room and the hollow space underneath running from one side of the wall to the other opening at both the outside ends. On one side, wood fire is lighted and the hot flames and smoke pass through the hollow platform. The green cardamo
and dried. This is a crude method of curing.
sules plays an important role in determining e market value. Since the green colour of the capsules is the criterion of the freshness, e Middle East countries attach much importance to the green colour of the cardamom.
o preserve the green colour, the caps subjected to the alkali treatment and ting. The harvested fresh green cardamom capsules have to be sodium carbonate solution for 10 minutes. For every 100 kg of fresh
White or bleached cardamom
sules having ununiform colour will fetch poor value in the markets and n hing m om in
bottles in the USA and it gives a clean white
oses its flavour and in general unbleached cardamoms in cteristics.
Products and grade
capsule, bleached cardamo s and seed powder,
, cardamom oleoresin roducts. Grades of
ms are spread over the smoothly plastered platform
3. Flue curing: In this method, the desired temperature is obtained by burning wood fuel in a hearth or fire chamber. The hot air is passed through chimneys. The room is fitted with rafts and wire meshes which are heated by the above pipes. The green cardamoms are spread on the rafts or racks. They are arranged in tiers at a distance of 30 cm. Before spreading the capsules they are treated with 2% washing soda solution for ten
inutes. Colour of the dried cardamom cap m
th th
T ules are first
then dried by artificial hea soaked in 2%
cardamom, 2 kg of sodium carbonate are dissolved in 100 litres of water. The cardamom capsules are tied in a piece of cloth or in wire basket and dipped in the solution for 10 minutes. After draining, they are spread for drying. The temperature is kept at 55°C for three hours, after closing the ventillators. Then the room is cooled by opening the ventilators to facilitate the vapour to escape.
Again the temperature is raised to 46°C and maintained for 20 hours. Subsequently the temperature of· the room is further raised to 54°C and maintained for 3 hours. At the end of curing, ·pods are taken out of the chamber, cleaned by rubbing for removal of the adhering flower bracts and stalks. The natural colour of the cardamom is retained.
Cardamom cap
hence these are processed to bleach them to attain a uniform colour. Bleaching has bee developed into a highly scientific and paying proposition in Sweden. In India, bleac is done at Haveri, Saklespur and Mudigere in Karnataka state. Bleaching of cardamo means the loss of green colour. The bleached cardamom is sold as whole cardam
is preferred by the housewife because
appearance. It l is not as good as
chemical chara
Apart from dry m, decorticated seed
cardamom volatile oil are some of the end p
cardamom are –
Alleppey green cardamom (AG Extra Bold (AGEB), AG Bold (AGB), AG Superior (AGS), AG Shipment 1(AGS 1), AG Shipment 2(AGS 2), AG Light (AGL))
Coorg Green Cardamom (CG Extra Bold (CGEB), CG Bold (CGB), CG Superior (CG 1), CG Motta Green (CG 2) CG Shipment (CG 3), CG light ( CG 4)
Bleached and half bleached cardamom – BL 1
Leached White Cardamom (BW 1 A Clipped), BW 2 (Unclipped)
Mixed cardamom ( M Extra Bold (MEB), M Bold (MB), M Superior (MS), M Shippment 1 (MS
spices.com 1), M Shippment 2 (MS 2), M Light (ML)
Cardamom Seed – (CS 1– Prime, CS 2- Shipment, CS 3- Brokens)
The AGMARK Grade of cardamom is given in appendix. (Source: Department of Agricultural Marketing and Inspection, Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India) available online at www.indian (Spices Board, Cochin) accessed on 15-9-
tr
ing icinale.Rose) (Family: Zingiberaceae) is a he eous perenn
izo used as of the important s native of South
38 s during 2004. It is recommended a medicine in A eda of curing l om ulence, anemia, rheumatism piles and jaundic India is a lead rod ginger in the world. Ginger is cu ated in most of the states in India. Ke nd major ginger growing ates in the cou In 2005-06, In
r to the value of Rs. 40.755 crores. Ginger products xpo re than fifty countries mainly to USA, Saudi Arab AE, and Morocc 2007.
Cardamom
Cropping system
Like black pepper, cardamom also originated in tropical humid region of Western ghat of India, where it is an under storey crop. Its ecological niche is satisfied in these humid tropics. Ideal shade, humus and moisture are essential for successful production. Shade trees of cardamom used to grow pepper. Organge tree(Citrus reticulata) is a part of traditional production system. Coffee, tree spices like clove, nutmeg, cinnamon are also recommended as mixed crop for cardamom cropping system. In low lying areas cardaomom intercropped in arecanut crop.
GINGER
In oudction
G er (Zingiber off rbac ial, the
rh mes of which are a spice. It is one
ted in 3, 54, 683 ha. with a production of 1, 072, pice and South Esat Asia. In world, it is cultiva
8 tonne as yurv iver
c plaints, flat , e. ing
p ucer of ltiv rala
a
exported 7250 tonnes of ginge
Meghalaya are st ntry. dia
e rted to mo ia, U o.
Courtesy: Calicut
om
or variety, region, agroclimatic conditions, ethods of curing, drying, packaging and storage. The composition of dry ginger is
ve .1
Table 4.1: Composition of dry ginger
is la
o xtract) 6.5%
wate .6%
ude fibre 7.17%
ude protein 12.4%
tal ash 6.64%
ter soluble ash 5.4 IISR,
C The com
position
position of ginger varies with type m
gi n in Table 4
mo ture 10.85%
vo tile oil 1.8%
ole resin (acetone e r extract 19
cr cr to
wa 8%
cold alcohol extract 6.0% acid insoluble ash 0.14%.
starch 53%
Uses
The aroma of ginger is pleasant and spicy and the flavour penetrating, pungent, slightly biting due to antiseptic or pungent compounds present in it. These proportion make it indispensable in the manufacture of a number of food products like ginger bread, confectionery, gingerale, curry powders, certain curried meats, table sauces, in pickling and in the manufacture of certain soft drinks like cordials, ginger cocktail, carbonated drinks, bitters, etc. Ginger is also used for the manufacture of ginger oil, oleoresin, essences, tinctures, etc. Ginger preserve and ginger candy prepared from green or fresh ginger are quite a favourite of many and in great demand. A number of alcoholic beverages are prepared from ginger in foreign countries, such as, ginger brandy, ginger wine, ginger beer and gingerales, etc.
According to the Ayurvedic medical system, ginger is considered carminative, stimulant and given in dyspepsia and flatulent colic. It is also prescribed as an adjunct to many tonic and stimulating remedies. It also has aphrodisiac values, besides its use in tinctures and as a flavourant. Ginger oil is used primarily as a food flavourant in soft drinks like gingerale, bitters, cordials and liquors, as a spice in bakery products, confectionery, pickles, sauces, and preserves.
The pharmaceutical uses are carminative, rubefacient, stimulant in alcoholic gastritis, dyspepsia, flatulent colic, etc. Veterinary uses of ginger are as stimulant and carminative, in indigestion of horses and cattle, in spasmodic colic of horses and to prevent the griping by purgatives. The oil of ginger finds a limited use in perfumery, where it imparts a unique individual note to compositions of the oriental type.
Area and production
Ginger commercially cultivated in many tropical and subtropical countries like India, China, Taiwan, Philippines, Sierra – Leone, Jamica, Fiji, Mexico, Queensland (Australia), Brazil and Nigeria. India is the largest producer of dry ginger in the world.
Indian dry ginger is known in the export market as Cochin ginger and Calicut ginger. In India, ginger is cultivated in an area of approximately 98, 100 hectares with an annual production of about 3, 92, 300 tonnes and the productivity is about 3999 kg ha-1during 2004-05(Table 4.2). Indian production is said to account for nearly half of the world’s production, out of which around 10 per cent of the produce is exported to more than 50 countries. The crop occupies largest area in Orissa (17.8%), followed by Karnatak, West Begngal, Kerala, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Sikkim. In terms of production Meghalaya, Kerala, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Orissa and Sikkim are the Major producing states, details given below. Productivity is highest in Gujarat (16.87 tons/ha), followed by Uttaranchal (12.6).
Table 4.2: Area and production of ginger in India (2004-05)
S No State Area (‘000 ha) Production (‘000 t) Yield (kg ha-1)
1 Andhra Pradesh 1.9 10.9 5823
2 3 4 5 6
7 14.7 7350
8 Karnataka 9.1 11.9 1308
9 1 1 1 1 1 1
. Andaman Islands 0.5 1.8 3600
Arunachal Pradesh 4.5 32.9 7311
Bihar 0.4 0.5 1250
Chhattisgarh 1.3 1.4 1077
Gujarat 1.9 4.0 2105
Himachal Pradesh 2.0
Kerala 10.0 45.3 4535
0 Madhya Pradesh 5.4 6.2 1148
1 Maharashtra 1.0 1.3 1300
2 Manipur 1.0 2.4 2400
3 Meghalaya 9.2 47.1 5120
4 Mizoram 4.5 29.6 6578
5 Nagaland 10.2 63.5 6225
ssa 15.7 30.4 19
16 Ori 36
1 0.1 0.2 2000
1 1 2 2
2 0.8 6.1 7625
2 West Bengal 2058
l 392 9
7 Rajasthan
8 Sikkim 6.5 34.7 5338
9 Tamil Nadu 0.6 23.0 38333
0 Tripura 1.4 2.8 2000
1 Uttar Pradesh 1.0 2.8 2800
2 Uttaranchal
3 9.1 18.8
Al India 98.1 .3 399
Source : Direc of Ec s and Ne S epts.
Botany
e na ngiber' s to be derived the Sa rit wor ringabe which ems ' aped' through the Arabic 'Za and Greeak 'Zingiber'. It is called as
iang' ' in Hindi, 'Ada' in Orya and Bengali,
le' in Alla Telu Inji' in l, 'Hasisunti' in Kannada, 'Adr ' and in Malayalam.
r officinale Rosc belongs to the family Zingiberaceae. It is a tropical plant
nd its origin is presum obably India or China.
to Med r en
teenth c AD bs er fr
it was spread to West Africa by Portuguese for commercial cultivation.
e or rale ludes Musaceae, itziace Lowiac Marant e,
nnac ibe . The ly Zing ceae c sts of 47 genera and about
400 This y is erally ified two amilies, i.e.,
ngibe (aroma d Cost ae (non atic). T are th ibes und he
bfam iberoid .e., G eae, H hieae Zingib . The s
80-90 species. Among these Z. zer t and Z. ssumun
edicin nd Z cinale cultiv ne.
roots) arise from the nodes of these scales. The auxiliary uds shoot up as leafy stem known as pseudostem which dies out annually but the plant izome. Leaves are sheathing arranged alternatively, linear t from the aerial leafy stem arising directly from the rhizome. The spike ers are numerous, trimerous, bisexual, irregular, d, inner-perianth tube is cylindric, lobes are lanceolate; stamen is only one erfect, two combined into a petaliferous leaf the labellum; the outer whorl is absent. The perfect stamen has a short filament; anther cells are contiguous, produced into a long beak; ovary is inferior, three carpelled, three celled; ovules are many on axile placentation; style is long, delicate, lying in a groove in the stamen; stigma is small and subglobose. Fruit, which is seldom produced, is an oblong capsule. Seeds are glabrous, fairly large, arillate and perispermous.
Climate and soil
Ginger grows well in warm and is cultivated from sea level upto an altitude of 1500 m above mean sea level. Ginger can be grown both under rain fed and irrigated conditions. For successful cultivation of the crop, a moderate rainfall at sowing time till the rhizomes sprout, fairly heavy and well distributed showers during the
torate onomic Statistics, w Delhi & tate D
Th me 'Zi seem from nsk d 'S ra',
se hornsh nzabil'
'K in China. The ginger is named as 'Adrak
'A Marathi, mu in gu, ' Tami akam
'Inchi'
Ginger
a Zingibe
ed to be in the southeast region of Asia, pr
ean rom I by tr du
It was During
brought the thir
iterran entury
region f , the Ara
ndia took ging
aders to East A
ing first c
ica from India. Later tury AD.
Th der Zingibe ing
s inc Strel ae, eae, acea
Ca eae and Z raceae fami ibera onsi
1, species. famil gen class into subf
Zi roideae ing
tic) an oide arom here ree tr er t
su
Zingiber consists of
ily Z eae, i lobb edyc and
umbe
ereae ca
genu ar are m al species a . offi is the ated o
Zingiber officinale is a herbaceous perennial having underground rhizome which is very much branched resembling in shape of an irregular hand with fingers having circular scars all along their length with small scales adhering to them. The inner-core of the rhizome is pale yellow with bluish tinge while the outer is light yellow. Adventitious roots and tubular roots (storage
b
continues to live through its rh
lanceolate, gradually acuminate and glabrous. Flowers are borne on a spike produced in a peduncle differen
is condensed, oblong and cylindric with numerous bracts those are imbricate, persistent and each carrying a single flower. Flow
epigynous, yellow in colour with dark purplish spots; outerperianth is cylindric, shortly three lobe
p
and humid climate
growing period and dry weather for about a month before harvesting are necessary.
Ginger thrives best in well drained soils like sandy loam, clay loam, red loam or lateritic loam. A friable loam rich in humus is ideal. However, being an exhausting crop it is not desirable to grow ginger in the same soil year after year.
Propagation
Ginger is propagated by portions of rhizomes known as seed rhizomes. Carefully preserved seed rhizomes are cut into small pieces of 2.5-5.0 cm length weighing 20-25 g
each having one or two good bu from to region and with
the method of cultivation adopted. In Kerala, the seed rate varies from 1500 to 1800
ultivation
improved varieties of ginger are available and their salient features re given below (Table 4.4).
(t/ha)
ds. The seed rate varies region
kg/ha. At higher altitudes the seed rate may vary from 2000 to 2500 kg/ha. The seed rhizomes are treated with mancozeb 0.3% (3 g in 1 litre of water) for 30 minutes, shade dried for 3-4 hours and planted at a spacing of 20-25 cm along the rows and 20-25 cm between the rows. The seed rhizome bits are placed in shallow pits prepared with a hand hoe and covered with well rotten farm yard manure and a thin layer of soil and leveled.
C
Varieties: Several cultivars of ginger are grown in different ginger growing areas in India and they are generally named after the localities where they are grown. Some of the prominent indigenous cultivars are Maran, Kuruppampadi, Ernad, Wynad, Himachal and Nadia (Table 4.3). Exotic cultivars such as Rio-de-Janeiro have also become very popular among cultivators and
a
Table 4.3: Local popular cultivars/land races of ginger
Sl No. Cultivar Mean yield (fresh)
Maturity (days)
Dry recovery (%)
Crude fibre (%)
Oleoresin (%)
Essential oil (%)
1 China 9.50 200 21.0 3.4 7.0 1.9
2 Assam 2.2
Maran 25.21 200 20.0 6.1 10.0 1.9
imachal 7.27 22.1 5.3
adia 28.55 22.6 5.4
Rio-de-
Janerio 17.65 20.0 10.5
11.78 210 18.0 5.8 7.9
3
4 H
N 200
0 3.8 0.5
5 20 3.9
.6
1.4 .3
6 190 5 2
Table 4.4: Improved varieties of ginger
l No. Variety Mean Maturity Dry Crude Oleoresin Essential S
yield (fresh)
(t/ha)
(days) recovery (%)
fibre (%) (%) oil (%)
1 IISR- Varada 22.66 200 20.7 4.5 6.7 1.8
2 Suprabha 16.60 229 20.5 4.4 8.9 1.9
3 Suruchi 11.60 218 23.5 3.8 10.0 2.0
4 Suravi 17.50 225 23.5 4.0 10.2 2.1
5 Himagiri 13.50 230 20.6 6.4 4.3 1.6
6 IISR
Mahima 23.2 200 23.0 3.26 4.48 1.72
7 IISR Rejatha 22.4 200 19.0 4.0 6.3 2.36
Season
The best time for planting ginger in the West Coast of India is during the first fortnight of May with the receipt of pre-monsoon showers. Under irrigated conditions, it can be planted well in advance during the middle of February or early March. Burning the surface soil and early planting with the receipt of summer showers results in higher yield and reduces disease incidence.
Source of planting material
Sl. nos. 1, 6 and 7 : IISR Experimental Farm, Peruvannamuzhi - 673 528, Kozhikode District, Kerala.
niversity of Agriculture and
e pits at the time of planting. Application of neem cake @ 2 tonnes/ha at the time of planting helps in reducing the incidence of rhizome rot disease/ nematode and increasing the yield.
Sl. nos. 2, 3 and 4 : High Altitude Research Station, Orissa U Technology, Pottangi, 764 039, O
Y.S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni-solar, Himachal Pradesh – 173 230
rissa.
Courtesy: IISR, Calicut
Land preparation: The land is to be ploughed 4 to 5 times or dug thoroughly with receipt of early summer showers to bring the soil to fine tilth. Beds of about 1 m width, 15 cm height and of convenient length are prepared with an inter-space of 50 cm in between beds. In the case of irrigated crop, ridges are formed 40 cm apart. In areas prone to rhizome rot disease and nematode infestations, solarization of beds for 40 days using transparent polythene sheets is recommended.
Manuring: At the time of planting, well decomposed cattle manure or compost @ 25-30 tonnes/ha has to be applied either by broadcasting over the beds prior to planting or applied in th