Effect Of Seed-size On Growth And Physiological Characteristics Of Ginger

Rhizome is the stock part of ginger in production. How to decide the size of seed-rhizome in production is a problem imperatively needed to solve in order to gain the optimal yield and benefit. LAIWU big ginger was used as material in this experiment in accordance with forenamed problem. Four treatments(25±5g, 50±5g, 75±5g, 100±5g) were applied to study the effect of seed-size on growth, photosynthesis, N, P, K absorption and distribution, physiological characteristic of ginger. The results provided theoretical bases for understanding the mechanism of effect of seed-size on growth and yield on ginger and offered feasible advice to help carry through standard production。The main results were as follows:1. Seed-size affected ginger's growth. In a certain range (seed-size under 75g), seeding time shortened, stem heights and stem diameter and shoot number increased and leaves area amplified when the seed-size of ginger increased.2. Seed-size affected the adaptive ability of ginger under stress conditions. Ginger's superoxide dismutase activity, peroxide activity, catalase activity improved, proline content under stress conditions increased, mlondiadehyde content reduced, electrolytic leakage depressed while the seed-size of ginger increased in the range from 25g to 75g. It suggested that in this range the adaptive ability under stress condition improved along with seed-size'sincreasing3. Seed-size affected the ginger's ability of utilizing nutrition. It also affected the absorption and distribution of mineral nutrition。When seed-size of ginger increased, its root system activity improved, NR activity increased. The absorption amount of N, P, K is increased too. The amount which distributed to rhizome was also augmented ,which in favored of improving economic coefficient.4. Seed-size affected ginger's photosynthesis ability. When seed-size of ginger increased,chlorophyll content ,apparent quantum yield, carboxylation efficiency increased, light saturation point and CO2 saturation point augmented, light compensation point and CO2 compensation point decreased. The photosynthetic rate of big seed-size was also higher than little one.5. If seed-size of ginger was too big (reach 100g or even larger), though it growed more vigorous than smaller one in prophase,it aged even more early and made against the improvement of yield.6. The results of this experiment suggested that 75g was the optimal seed-size for ginger to applied to production. Ginger with this seed-size could gain optimal yield and benefit. Too small or too big seed-size would do harm to yield and quality.