Morphological information

A biennial herb, rootstock bearing many sessile tubers. Rhizomes are aromatic, thick lobed, pale yellowish, differing in shape and size in the different cultivated types. Leaves narrow, distichous,sub- sessile, linear lanceolates dark green, evenly narrowed to form a slender tip, flowers in spikes, greenish yellow with a small dark purple or purplish black tip.

Flowering                   : Summer

Fruiting                       : Autumn

History          

Ginger was known in China as early as 400B.C. it was also used as a spice by the Greeks and Romans who considered it and Arabian predict because it was received from India by the way of the Red Sea. It was introduced into Jamaica and other islands of the West Indies by the Spaniards, and ginger was exported from the West Indies to Spain even during the year 1547 A.D.

Parts                           : Rhizome.

Status                         : Cultivated.

Phytochemistry

Detection of heptane, octane, isovarelaaldehyde, nonanol, ethyl pinene, camphene, β-pinene, sabinene, myrecene, limonene, β-phellandrene and 1,8- cineole in essential oil by GLC (Phytochemistry 1972, 11, 3377); presence of gingediol, methylgingediol and their diacetates by GC-MS (Yakugaku  Zasshi 1974, 94, 735; Chem. Abstr.1974, 81, 166345 p); new sesquiterpenes-sequithujene, cissesquisabinene hydrate and zingiberenol(2-methyl-6 (trans- 4’-methyl 4’-hydroxycyclohex-2’-enyl)-hept- 2-ene)- isolated and their structures determined (Can. J. Chem. 1975, 53, 3285); car-3-ene, α-terpinene, α-terpineol, nerol, 1,8-cineole, zingiberene, neral, geranial, geraniol and geranyl acetate identified in essential oil from rhizomes.

Agrocultivation

In the Malabar system raised bed 3 m X 1 m, are laid out at a distance of 30-45 cm from each other. Small shallow pits for planting are then made on the beds at a sparing of 15 or 20 cm X 22 cm. The beds are smaller in sloppy areas. A handful of cattle manure is applied to each of these pits. The rate of seed-rhizome varies from 900 to 1,400 kg per hectare. The optimum spacing for planting of ginger is 25-45 cm between the rows and 15-20 cm between the plants in a row. The seed rhizome should be 20-30 g in weight with at least tow sprouted eye buds. It is placed 3.5-5 cm deep in the pits and the soil is pressed over it. This is followed by light irrigation. In the south kanara system-no beds are laid out. A mixture of manure and burnt earth is applied in the form of 9.5cm thick ridge in between the rows 100-120 cm apart from each other. The seed rhizomes, each 30-40 g in weight with about half a dozen sprouted eye buds are placed at a distance of 30 cm in the rows and earthed up to make the ridges 15-20 cm high. The field is given a light irrigation soon after sowing

Medicinal

Good in piles, rheumatism, headache, lumbago, pains. It is the main ingredient in medicine used for fever, cold, urticaria, goiter. Eaten with butter it cures rheumatism. It has antiseptic properties. It is an appetizer and taken with salt cures  latulence and throat trouble. A well distributed rainfall during the growing season and dry spells during land preparation as well as before harvesting are required for large-scale cultivation of the crop. In areas receiving less rainfall the crop needs regular irrigation.

Ayurvedic

The rhizome is used in diseases of the heart and the throat, dyspepsia, inflammations, "kapha"and"vata". bronchitis, asthma, vomiting, pains, indigestion, elephantiasis, piles, abdominal troubles, scorpion sting, snake bite.

Traditional

Juice of ginger and turmeric taken with honey cures cold and asthma. Powder of dried ginger applied on the forehead with boiled water cures headache.

 

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