IN VITRO MICRORHIZOME INDUCTION IN THREE HIGH YIELDING CULTIVARS OF ZINGIBER OFFICINALE ROSC. AND THEIR PHYTOPATHOLOGICAL ANALYSIS

Ginger- Zingiber officinale Rosc., zingiberaceae, is one of the major medicina l spice crop in India. Microrhizome induction is a novel biotechnological tool to produ ce disease free planting materials in this rhizomat ous crop since other crop improvement programmes are failed due to low seed set. Pathogen free nature and the genetic stability of the resultant plantlets/ rhizomes increase the acce ptance in the commercialization of this technique. In the present study disclosed an efficient method for enhanced mi crorhizome production in three high yielding variet ies of ginger (cultivars IISR Mahima, IISR Rejatha and IISR Varada) using MS medium devoid of NH 4NO 3 with various concentrations of externally provided NH 4NO 3 and photoperiod. Pathogen free nature of the micror hizomes was confirmed using disc culture technique in Casamino acid casein hydrolysate medium.