Biological Control of Soft-Rot of Ginger: Current Trends and Future Prospects

Ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe) is an important crop having various medicinal, nutritional, and ethnomedicinal properties cultivated all over the world. Pythium and Fusarium spp. are pathogens responsible for the deteriorating disease in ginger known as soft- or rhizome-rot, causing more than 50% loss of ginger crop worldwide. The application of chemical fungicides is a promising method for control of soft-rot in ginger. But use of such fungicides is harmful to both environment and human health. Thus, there is an obligatory need for the search of an eco-friendly and economic approach for the control of soft-rot in ginger. Various physical, chemical, and biological methods have already been in practice since many years for managing soft-rot in ginger. This chapter primarily focuses on the advantages of biological control over chemical methods of Pythium and Fusarium spp. management using antagonistic fungi, bacteria, actinomycetes, and plant extracts. These biocontrol agents offer the best opportunity in control of diseases and also help to maintain the quality and crop yield. Moreover, the emerging role of nanotechnology in the management of these pathogens is also briefly discussed.