Histochemical analysis and storage behaviour of Ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe) under Zero-Energy Cool Chamber (ZECC)

In Kerala, a coastal land in India, Ginger is cultivated as a rainfed annual. The current study on morphological characters of seed rhizomes stored in Zero Energy Cool Chambers recorded a weight loss of 28% at three months after storage. The number of sprouting buds was maximum (12.25) in the seed rhizomes stored for three months. The dimensions of the bud measured at the varied periods of storage interval showed variation. The length of the bud increased from 0.847μm to 2.19 μm and the breadth reduced from 1.19 μm to 0.703μm in three months of storage. The current study provides the anatomical morphology of ginger seed rhizomes. Histochemical studies of seed rhizome for three months storage showed that the number of cork layers varied from 5–15, size of starch grain decreased on storage from 40 μm to 20 μm and the oil globules found inside the parenchymatous cells increased from 20 μm to 40 μm. These results will be helpful to understand the bud development of ginger seed rhizome during storage.