Assessing the impacts of planting dates and organic mulches on Ginger (Zingiber officinale) yield using agrometeorological indices
Abstract
Ginger production remains highly sensitive to weather variables, especially temperature, which plays a critical role in phenological development, growth and yield. This study was carried out to assess the impact of varying planting dates and organic mulches using agrometeorological indices across phenological stages. A field experiment was laid out in split plot design at College of Agriculture, KAU, Vellanikkara, Thrissur district. Ginger variety, Maran was cultivated with four dates of planting viz. 1st June (D1), 15th June (D2) and 1st July (D3) and 15th July (D4)as main plot treatments and with three organic mulches viz. green leaves (M1), paddy straw (M2) and dry coconut leaves (M3) as sub plot treatments. The accumulated agrometeorological indices viz.Growing Degree Days (AGDD), Heliothermal Units (AHTU), Photothermal Units (APTU) and Hydrothermal Units (AHYTU)were calculated at different phenophases of the crop viz. planting to 50% germination (P1), 50% germination to active tillering (P2), active tillering to bulking (P3), bulking to physiological maturity (P4).The crop duration varied across different planting dates, which had a significant impact on yield. The June 1st planted crop took a longest duration (217 days) with higher fresh rhizome yield of 19958kg ha-1 followed by the second planting on June 15th (203 days) with 18273kg ha-1, followed by third planting on July 1st(198 days) with 15347 kg ha-1 and fourth planting on July 15th(187 days) with 8520kg ha-1.The ginger crop mulched with paddy straw produced high fresh rhizome yield of 16941kg ha-1, which was on par with green leaves mulch yield of 15798kg ha-1. The dry coconutleaves mulched ginger gave less yield of 13835kg ha-1. Accumulated Growing Degree Days (AGDD), Accumulated Heliothermal Units (AHTU), Accumulated Photothermal Units (APTU) and Accumulated Hydrothermal Units (AHYTU) at four phenophases showed a positive correlation with Ginger yield. The selection of suitable organic mulching materials is also important in combination with optimal planting windows to maximize ginger productivity.
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