Growth Performance and Nutritional Qualities of Ginger Accessions Planted on Varying Ratio of Planting Media Mixed With Poultry Manure in Nsukka, Nigeria

Abstract

Ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe) is a perennial rhizomatous herb of the family Zingiberaceae. Its rhizome consists of short finger-like structures born horizontally near the surface of the soil. Ginger consists of more than 1200 plant species with 53 genera. This research was to determine the growth performance and nutritional qualities of ginger accessions planted on varying ratio of planting media mixed with poultry manure in Nsukka. There werefive research questions and five hypotheses that guided the study. The research was a true experimental study which adopted complete randomized design (CRD) of 3 x 3 factorial designs; Factor A=3 ginger accessions and factor B=3 planting media. The plant population for the study was 81.Parameters for determining the growth performances of the accessions were; days to germination, plant height, number of nodes and internodes, length and width of leaves. Determining the shelf life of the three ginger accessions was by weight loss of harvested rhizomes and leaves. Parameters for determining nutritional qualities of the three ginger accessions were the percentage of ash, carbohydrates, crude fibre, moisture, fats and crude proteins. The experiment was conducted at Vocational &Technical Education, Agricultural Education farm operation (Green House),University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State. Data were collected using 30cm ruler, observational schedule, 30kg graduated manual weighing balance & FURI electronic scale (graduated in grams).Proximate composition was determined at Crop Science Laboratory, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Nigeria, Nsukka. Laboratory reagents used for proximate composition were propylene oxide, eponaraldite mixture, uranyl acetate, Lead citrate, H2SO4, CuSO4 5H2O (as catalyst), Na2SO4 (anhydrous), K2SO4, and alkali (NaOH). The data collected were subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA) using GenStat 7.22DE 2008. Differences between treatment means were considered statistically significant (P< 0.05) using Least Significance Different (LSD). Hypothetically, the tables revealed that planting media significantly (P<0.05) produced ginger with good growth performance and nutritional qualities. The result in Table 1 shows that M2 had an early emergence of an average of 12.56 days after planting. Table 2 shows that after 12 weeks of planting M1 produced the longest leaves with an average of 7.00cm. Table 3 shows that after 12 weeks of planting, M3 produced the highest number of nodes with an average of 9.83. Table 4 shows that after 12 weeks of planting, M1 produced the highest number of leaves with an average of 13.33. Table 5 shows that after 4 weeks of harvest, rhizomes from M1 retained more weight with an average of with an average of 0.80kg.Table 23 shows A1 in M1 produced the highest ash with an average of 1.80%, A1 in M1 also produced the highest carbohydrates with an average of 1.60%, A2 in M1 produced the highest fats with an average of 0.30%, A3 in M1 produced the highest crude fibre with an average of 5.6%, A3 in M1 produced the highest moisture with an average of 87.08%, and A1 in M1 produced the highest crude proteins with an average of 5.67%. Table 23 also show that A1 in M2 produced the highest ash with an average of 2.38%, A1 in M2 also produced the highest carbohydrates with an average of 1.10%, A2 in M2 produced the highest fats with an average of 0.20%, A1 in M2 produced the highest crude fibre with an average of 8.5%, A2 in M2 produced the highest moisture with an average of 88.70%, and A3 in M2 produced the highest crude proteins with an average of 5.5%. Still table 23, A3 in M3 produced the highest ash with an average of 2.45%, A1 in M3 also produced the highest carbohydrates with an average of 8.45%, A2 in M3 produced the highest fats with an average of 0.29%, A1 in M3 produced the highest crude fibre with an average of 8.4%, A2 in M3 produced the highest moisture with an average of 80.08%, and A2 in M2 produced the highest crude proteins with an average of 2.99%.From the results it was concluded that the used of various planting media gave a good ginger growth performance and nutritional qualities in Nsukka. It is therefore recommended that the information in this research study should be used by ministry of Agriculture and research institutes to address and improve farmers’ needs in the study area.