Effect of plastic mulch on suppression of weeds in transplanted ginger

Abstract

Ginger is one of the earliest known oriental spices of the family Zingiberaceae. The conventional propagation methods of rhizomes being slow, a suitable method of raising ginger seed material in portrays has been devised by Indian Institute of Spices Research. The conventional propagation method using ginger rhizome being slow, a suitable method of raising ginger seed material in portrays has been devised by Indian Institute of Spices Research. The advantages of this technology are production of healthy uniform planting materials and reduction in seed rhizome quantity which eventually reduced cost on rhizomes. The experiment was carried out in the Instructional Farm, College of Agriculture, Vellayani during April 2016 to January 2017. The ginger variety used was Karthika. Field experiment was laid out in split plot design with four levels of mulches in main plots and fertilizer levels in sub plots with four replications..Two nodded rhizome bits of ginger cultivar was raised in protrays were transplanted at 55 days in beds taken in the interspaces of coconut.The results of the study indicated that plastic mulch can effectively reduce the weed growth in ginger to a great extend followed by mulching @30 t ha-1.