EFFECTIVENESS OF BIO-STIMULANT SOLUTIONS IN INDUCING THE GERMINATION OF GINGER RHIZOMES

Abstract

Many countries in the world are using ginger as a spice. Ginger is one of the root crops that is well-known for its numerous health advantages, e.g., its anti-inflammatory and anti-nausea benefits. However, ginger is one crop that takes a long time to harvest and is very hard to raise because untreated planting materials can easily rot due to pathogens. This study evaluated the effectiveness of bio-stimulant solutions' in inducing the germination of ginger rhizomes'. Around 4 kilograms of ginger and 4 liters of bio-stimulant solutions were used in this study. Relatively, the study was done using sixteen plastic crates as planting containers. Ten pieces of ginger rhizomes were placed in each create as planting material. The study was laid out in a Complete Randomized Design (CRD) with four (4) treatments replicated four (4) times. The treatments were as follows: Treatment 1 – Control (no-Bss, water only); Treatment 2– 5% Bss diluted in water; Treatment 3 – 10% Bss diluted in water; and, Treatment 4 – 15% Bss diluted in water. All data gathered were computed and subjected to the Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) in CRD using STAR 2.0.1. The Least Significant Difference (LSD) was used to determine significant differences among treatments. Results show that ginger rhizomes developed rapidly for all treatments applied with Bss solutions. Ginger under Treatment 1 (the control, applied with water only) developed its rhizomes in a longer period (around 17-18 days) as compared to ginger applied with Bss solutions. Furthermore, it was found that Treatment 4, or the treatment with 15% of Bss obtained the shortest period of germination of 13 to 15 days only. On the other hand, ginger under Treatment 2 (5% Bss solutions), and Treatment 3 (10% Bss solutions) induced the development of rhizomes between 14-16 days.