DETERMINATION OF SUSCEPTIBILITY PATTERNS OF GINGER (ZINGIBER OFFICINALE ROSCOE) GENOTYPES TO EPIDEMIC DISEASES IN KADUNA STATE, SOUTHERN GUINEA SAVANNA, NIGERIA

Abstract

Ginger (Zingiber officinale roscoe) is a herbaceous, perennial, tropical and subtropical rhizomatous plant, grown extensively in southern Kaduna. It has several uses from pharmaceutical to food industries. The occurrence and distribution of disease on ginger cultivated in Kaduna State and the disease pathogen responsible for ginger losses were determined in this study. In this study, field survey was carried out and samples of leaves, rhizomes and soils (under the rhizomes) were collected in two most cultivated locations in six (6) local government areas of Jema’a (KASU JSQ & KASU SSQ), Kachia (Gibir & U/Sarki), Kagarko (Dogon Kurmi & Kagarko), Kaura (GCK & KGR Pada), Jaba (Samban & Jaban Kogo), and Zongon Kataf (Zauru & U/Rimi). Several species of fungi, bacteria and nematodes were isolated from the collected samples across the sampling locations. Incidences of fungal species (15); Aspergillus fumigatus & Aspergillus niger with 17 isolates each, and Fusarium solani with 15 isolates were recorded, while in bacteria, 10 species incidences existed with Baccillus spp., Micrococcus sp and Citrobacter spp with 22, 17 and 16 isolates occurrence respectively. Nematodes had 10 different species occurrences with 15 of Trichodorus sp and 13 of Meloidogyne spp. Overall, fungi were the most frequently encountered pathogens across all LGAs, followed by bacteria, with nematodes being the least prevalent.