A field evaluation on growth and yield performances of 15 mutant lines and two landraces of Zingiber officinale (Rosc.) was conducted in Cross River State, Nigeria, in 2016 and 2017. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications in each of the three locations, Calabar, Ikom, and Ogoja. Combined analysis of variance showed significant (p < 0.05) growth and yield differences among the 17 ginger genotypes. Nine mutant lines, UG1-5-04, UG1-5-35, UG2-9-01, UG1-13-02, UG1-7-24, UG1-5-38, UG1-5-31, UG2-11-03, and UG1-5-18, had superior rhizome yield ranging from 18.44 to 22.06 t/ ha and were significantly different (p > 0.05) from the two landraces, UG1 (14.39 t/ha) and UG2 (14.72 t/ha). Mutant UG2-9-01 had the highest average number of rhizomes per plant (21.44) and the longest rhizomes (20.46 cm). Mutant UG1-5-04 had the highest total rhizome yield per hectare (22.06 t/ha). The overall performance of the nine mutant ginger lines across the 2 years was superior and similar (p < 0.05) in Ogoja and Ikom locations in comparison with Calabar location. The two locations, Ikom and Ogoja, were recommended as the most suitable environments for the cultivation of the nine promising mutant lines of ginger in Cross River State.
Key words: gamma ray, ginger, irradiation, landraces, rhizome, mutation, spices
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