A method for propagating superior ginger varieties through hydroponics

Abstract

This invention discloses a method for propagating superior ginger varieties using soilless cultivation, belonging to the field of ginger variety propagation technology. This invention provides a complete system of superior variety propagation technology. The method includes using a cultivation container with a tray at the bottom; filling it with a compound substrate; selecting healthy ginger seeds, germinating them, sowing them, covering them with soil and a green film; employing integrated water and fertilizer management, with a nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium ratio of 2:1:3 in the nutrient solution, and adjusting the EC value in stages; performing three hilling operations based on the number of branches, with a cumulative hilling height of 20cm; and controlling water and fertilizer in the later stages of growth to promote the maturation of the ginger seeds. This invention isolates soil-borne diseases through a soilless substrate, improves the quality of ginger seeds through precise water and fertilizer management and staged hilling, controls the seed usage per plant to around 100g, significantly reduces seed costs and disease incidence, establishes a standardized ginger variety propagation process, and produces ginger seeds that are uniform in size, have full buds, and exhibit excellent characteristics.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of ginger seed breeding technology, specifically to a method for soilless cultivation of superior ginger varieties. Background Technology

[0002] Ginger, an important crop used for both food and medicine, is widely cultivated in my country. China has the largest ginger cultivation area, highest yield, and largest export volume in the world. In actual production, ginger mainly uses asexual reproduction, with its underground rhizomes serving as both harvested product organs and direct propagation material for the next season's planting. While this traditional "seed-plant integration" model is simple to operate, long-term production practice has revealed a series of insurmountable technical bottlenecks, severely restricting the standardization, intensification, and sustainable development of the ginger industry. First, farmers mostly use self-saved seeds or exchange commercial ginger as seed sources, lacking a standardized high-quality seed breeding system, resulting in low seed vigor, manifested as slow emergence, weak seedling growth, reduced resistance, and significant deterioration in yield and quality. Second, the lack of effective health testing and seed source purification methods means that infected seed ginger becomes the primary source of infection for the next season's diseases, leading to the recurring and cyclical aggravation of soil-borne diseases such as ginger wilt and stem base rot. Third, the use of high-yield commercial ginger as seed ginger results in an extremely high seed consumption, exceeding 500 kg per mu (approximately 0.16 acres). This not only significantly increases planting costs but also adds to the management difficulty of harvesting, storing, transporting, and sprouting seed ginger. Fourth, the severe lack of a standardized breeding system centered on "superior varieties" has led to ginger production remaining in an extensive state where "seed ginger is commercial ginger, and commercial ginger is seed ginger," hindering the upgrading of superior varieties and severely impeding the promotion of excellent varieties and the application of high-yield and high-quality cultivation techniques.

[0003] To address the series of problems caused by asexual reproduction, such as degraded seed vigor, soil-borne pathogens carried by ginger seed, high costs due to large seed quantities, and lack of standardized breeding criteria, there is an urgent need to establish a new method that can isolate soil-borne pathogens, improve ginger seed quality, reduce seed quantities, and establish a standardized breeding process. Soilless cultivation technology, with its ability to artificially control the rhizosphere environment, isolate soil-borne pathogens, and facilitate precise nutrient management, offers a potential solution to these problems. While there have been attempts to produce commercial ginger using soilless cultivation, such as using nutrient solutions or specific substrates, these methods ultimately focus on high yields of commercial ginger, with limited research on soilless cultivation for ginger seed production. Ginger seed requires well-developed root systems, disease-free conditions, plump buds, and strong vigor; however, current traditional ginger cultivation methods suffer from long-term continuous cropping obstacles, declining soil fertility, and pollution, failing to meet the requirements for ginger seed production. Therefore, developing a suitable method for propagating superior ginger varieties in soilless cultivation is of great significance for solving the problems of low seed vigor and disease accumulation in ginger, and for achieving the green and sustainable development of the ginger seed industry. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The technical problem to be solved by this invention is how to obtain disease-free, robust, and high-quality ginger seeds.

[0005] The present invention solves the above-mentioned technical problems through the following technical means:

[0006] A method for propagating superior ginger varieties using hydroponics includes the following steps: 1) Construct a greenhouse equipped with an integrated water and fertilizer irrigation system; prepare cultivation containers with trays at the bottom; fill the cultivation containers with a compound substrate; 2) Select healthy, disease-free ginger rhizomes with plump buds as seed ginger. The weight of a single rhizome should be controlled at 90-105g. The selected seed ginger should be germinated at 25-30℃ and 80%-90% humidity. When the buds are 0.5-1.0cm long, they can be used for seed ginger. Each seed ginger should retain 1-2 strong buds. 3) Sow the germinated ginger seeds with the buds facing upwards in a cultivation container filled with compound substrate, and cover with soil to a thickness of 3-5cm; after sowing, cover the surface of the cultivation container with mulch; water thoroughly after sowing and keep the substrate moist until the ginger seedlings emerge and grow stably. 4) Throughout the ginger seedling growth period, nutrient solution is supplied through an integrated water and fertilizer system. The mass ratio of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P2O5), and potassium (K2O) in the nutrient solution is 2:1:3. From pre-emergence to the seedling stage, the EC value of the nutrient solution is controlled at 1.0~1.2 mS / cm to promote root and stem growth during the seedling stage. From the seedling stage to the early branching stage, the EC value of the nutrient solution is adjusted to 1.5~1.8 mS / cm. During the vigorous growth stage, branching and stem thickening are promoted, and during the root and stem enlargement stage, ginger seed enlargement and nutrient accumulation are promoted. During the vigorous growth stage, the EC value of the nutrient solution is adjusted to 2.0~2.5 mS / cm. The amount of irrigation each time should be such that there is a slight seepage at the bottom of the tray, keeping the substrate moist but not waterlogged. 5) Based on the branching of ginger, add fresh or sterilized old substrate evenly to the cultivation container and perform three hilling operations: First hilling, when three branches appear on the main stem, the hilling height is 5cm; Second hilling, when the number of branches reaches five, the hilling height is 10cm; Third hilling, when the number of branches reaches eight, the hilling height is 5cm. By hilling in stages, a dark and loose environment required for rhizome enlargement is created.

[0007] 6) During the growing season, control the daytime temperature inside the greenhouse to be 20-30℃ and the nighttime temperature to be no lower than 15℃.

[0008] Preferably, during the growth period, the environment is regulated according to the growth needs of ginger, and the daytime temperature in the greenhouse is controlled at 20~30℃ and the nighttime temperature is not lower than 15℃; in the later stage of growth, the temperature and humidity are appropriately reduced to promote the maturation of ginger seeds and enhance their storage resistance; harvesting is carried out on sunny days, and whole ginger pieces are taken out of the cultivation container, the substrate is removed, and then they are stored.

[0009] Preferably, the harvested crops are stored in a constant temperature warehouse at 14°C.

[0010] Preferably, the cultivation container mentioned in step 1) is a PVC cultivation bag with a thickness of 0.1mm, a diameter of 35cm and a height of 40cm, and a bag structure that is white on the outside and black on the inside.

[0011] Preferably, the compound substrate in step 1) includes a mixture of various ingredients such as coconut coir, peat moss, carbonized rice husks, earthworm soil, and mushroom residue.

[0012] Preferably, the compound substrate described in step 1) is composed of 2 parts coconut coir, 1 part peat moss, 1 part carbonized rice husk, and 1 part earthworm soil by volume.

[0013] Preferably, the compound matrix described in step 1) consists of 2 parts coconut coir, 1 part peat moss, and 1 part carbonized rice husk by volume.

[0014] Preferably, the substrate described in step 1) is replaced once a year. The old substrate is sterilized by high-temperature steam. The sterilization conditions are 80~100℃ steam treatment for 60 minutes. After sterilization, it can be reused for non-ginger crops or used again for ginger breeding after passing the test.

[0015] Preferably, the bottom tray of the cultivation container described in step 1) is used to catch leaked water and nutrient solution, keep the cultivation environment clean, and prevent the spread of diseases.

[0016] Preferably, the mulch film mentioned in step 3) is a green mulch film with a thickness of 0.012 mm, a light transmittance of 70%, and a transmission spectrum of 510 nm to 580 nm increased by 5% to 10%.

[0017] Preferably, in step 4), additional trace elements such as boron, iron, and zinc are added during the rhizome enlargement period to prevent tuber deformation and improve the quality of seed ginger.

[0018] Preferably, in step 4), the nutrient solution is supplied intermittently, irrigating once every 1 to 5 days to keep the substrate moist but not waterlogged, ensuring sufficient oxygen supply to the roots.

[0019] Preferably, nutrient solution should be stopped 15-20 days before harvest, and irrigation with clean water should be used instead to promote nutrient return and corking of the rhizome epidermis, thereby enhancing the storage resistance of seed ginger.

[0020] The advantages of this invention are: (1) By using isolation facilities and soilless cultivation substrate, direct contact between ginger seed and soil is completely avoided. Combined with annual substrate replacement and high-temperature sterilization of old substrate, the transmission routes of soil-borne diseases such as ginger wilt and rot are cut off from the source, solving the problem of traditional ginger seed carrying bacteria.

[0021] (2) Standardized cultivation bags (35cm in diameter, 40cm in height, white on the outside and black on the inside) and precise water and fertilizer management (nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium ratio of 2:1:3) are used, combined with multiple soil covering and green film covering, which provides an excellent growth environment, resulting in the breeding ginger being uniform in size, with plump buds, well-developed root system and excellent seed quality, significantly improving the quality and uniformity of the ginger.

[0022] (3) The amount of ginger used per plant is controlled at about 100g. Compared with the traditional amount of 500kg per mu, the propagation coefficient of this invention is high, which significantly reduces the cost of seed breeding and storage and transportation pressure. At the same time, it can achieve high-density planting and improve land utilization.

[0023] (4) For the first time, soilless cultivation was integrated with technologies such as multi-stage soil cultivation, mulching for moisture retention, and integrated water and fertilizer management, forming a complete process of ginger breeding technology consisting of "cultivation bag + substrate + water and fertilizer + soil cultivation". This fills the gap in the current ginger industry's lack of standards for graded propagation of superior varieties, which is conducive to the rapid promotion of superior varieties and industrial upgrading.

[0024] (5) Almost no chemical pesticides are used, which reduces environmental pollution and meets the requirements of green, ecological and sustainable agricultural development. Detailed Implementation

[0025] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0026] Unless otherwise specified, all test materials and reagents used in the following examples are commercially available.

[0027] Unless otherwise specified in the embodiments, the techniques or conditions described in the literature in this field or in accordance with the product manual may be followed.

[0028] Example 1 I. Selection and formulation of the matrix 1) Select commercially available coconut coir bricks and soak them in 5 times their volume of water until they expand. After the coconut coir has fully expanded, rinse it 3 times with clean water to remove excess salt. Drain the rinsed coconut coir until the moisture content is 60%-70% and set aside. Peat moss, carbonized rice husks, and earthworm soil are all commercially available. 2) Collect the waste mushroom residue after mushroom cultivation and remove impurities such as plastic film; crush the mushroom residue to a particle size of <10mm; pile the crushed mushroom residue for fermentation for 30 days, turning it over every 7 days; after fermentation, dry it until the moisture content is 30%-40% and set aside for later use.

[0029] 3) Prepare soilless matrix by mixing the above materials according to the volume ratio, as shown in Table 1 below:

[0030] II. Ginger Cultivation Experiment 1) PVC cultivation bags are used as containers for ginger growth. The cultivation bags are 35cm in diameter, 40cm in height, and 0.1mm thick. The bag structure is white on the outside and black on the inside, with a tray at the bottom. The different substrate ratios mentioned above are filled into the cultivation bags to a height of 15cm.

[0031] 2) The ginger variety used in the test was "Shannong No. 1". Healthy, disease-free ginger pieces with plump buds and a single piece weighing about 100g were selected as seed ginger. Before sowing, the selected seed ginger was placed in a condition of 25-30℃ and 80%-90% humidity to promote sprouting. When the sprouts were 0.5-1.0cm long, they were ready for use. Each seed ginger was kept with 1-2 strong buds. 3) Different experimental groups were set up according to the matrix type, as shown in Table 2:

[0032] 4) Sow the germinated ginger seeds with the buds facing upwards in the cultivation bags of each group, covering them with 3-5cm of soil. After sowing, cover the surface of the cultivation bags with a 0.012mm thick (70% light transmittance) green mulch film. Water thoroughly after sowing, keeping the substrate moist until the ginger seedlings emerge and grow stably; 50 pots per group, randomly arranged in a block design, repeated 3 times.

[0033] 5) Use an integrated water and fertilizer system for nutrient solution supply. The mass ratio of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P2O5), and potassium (K2O) in the nutrient solution is 2:1:3. From pre-emergence to uniform seedling stage: maintain a relative substrate moisture content of 60%-70%, and drip irrigate with a low-concentration nutrient solution (EC value 1.0-1.2 mS / cm) every 3-5 days; from seedling stage to early branching stage: adjust the nutrient solution EC value to 1.5-1.8 mS / cm, and irrigate every 2-3 days; during vigorous growth period (from three-pronged branching to rhizome enlargement stage): adjust the nutrient solution EC value to 2.0-2.5 mS / cm, and irrigate every 1-2 days, with each irrigation just enough to slightly seep from the bottom of the tray; during rhizome maturity stage: stop supplying nutrient solution 15-20 days before harvest and switch to irrigation with clean water to promote rhizome aging and corkyization of the epidermis.

[0034] 6) Perform three hilling operations based on the branching of ginger. When three branches appear on the main stem, evenly add fresh substrate or sterilized old substrate (sterilization conditions: continuous steam treatment at 80~100℃ for 60 minutes) into the cultivation bag, and hill up to a height of 5cm; when the number of branches reaches five, perform a second hilling operation, with a hilling height of 10cm; when the number of branches reaches eight, perform a third hilling operation, with a hilling height of 5cm.

[0035] 7) The cultivation site uses greenhouses, and the daytime temperature inside the greenhouse is controlled at 20-30℃, and the nighttime temperature is not lower than 15℃.

[0036] 8) Ginger was harvested on October 25, 2024. The cultivation bags were cut open laterally, the intact rhizomes were removed, the substrate was removed, and the ginger yield and quality were measured. The specific results are shown in Table 3 below:

[0037] The results show that the substrate formula used in experimental group III (coconut coir: peat moss: carbonized rice husks: earthworm soil = 2:1:1:1) significantly improved the yield and quality of ginger. This treatment had the highest yield per plant, reaching 952.8g, an increase of 4.5% compared to control group I; the dry matter content reached 13.5%, an increase of 8% compared to group I; and the volatile oil content was also significantly higher than other treatment groups. Furthermore, the ginger plants propagated in experimental group III had a higher ginger index per plant, resulting in a greater number of effective seeds; their average aspect ratio was closer to 1, and their shape was more regular.

[0038] Example 2 Field cultivation experiments were conducted using the seed ginger produced in Example 1 to demonstrate the performance of the ginger seed production method of this invention.

[0039] The specific steps are as follows: 1) The experiment was conducted from April to October 2025 at the Shandong Agricultural University Onion, Ginger and Garlic Science and Technology Demonstration Base in Tai'an City, Shandong Province. The previous crop was scallion, and the soil type was loam. The basic nutrient content of the 0-20cm topsoil layer was: organic matter 18.5g / kg, available nitrogen 85.6mg / kg, available phosphorus 32.4mg / kg, available potassium 128.7mg / kg, and pH value 6.8. The soil fertility was moderate, and the irrigation and drainage conditions were good.

[0040] 2) The seed ginger from the four different sources mentioned above was set up as experimental groups as shown in Table 4. Each treatment group was replicated three times, and each replicate plot was 20m². 2 Plant spacing 22cm, row spacing 70cm, plot randomized block arrangement.

[0041]

[0042] 3) Select healthy, disease-free ginger pieces with plump buds and a single piece weight of about 100g from each treatment group as seed ginger. 30 days before sowing, place the selected seed ginger in a condition of 26℃ and 80%-90% humidity for sprouting treatment, and observe and record the sprouting status.

[0043] 4) Before sowing, prepare the land and make ridges with a ridge width of 60cm and a ridge height of 25cm. Sow on April 5, 2025, with a soil covering thickness of 3cm. After sowing, cover with a 0.012mm green film to retain moisture and increase temperature.

[0044] 5) Manage water and fertilizer according to the growth needs of ginger. Apply 4000 kg of well-rotted organic fertilizer and 100 kg of compound fertilizer (15-15-15) per mu as base fertilizer; topdressing is done twice: the first time is in mid-July, when the ginger has grown to about 3 branches, apply 25 kg of urea per mu; the second time is in early August, when the ginger is combined with hilling, apply 100 kg of compound fertilizer (15-5-25) per mu. Irrigation is done by drip irrigation, keeping the soil moist but not waterlogged.

[0045] 6) Hilling should be done in stages according to the branching situation: small hilling (about 5cm) when there are three branches, large hilling (about 10cm) when there are five branches, and then hilling should be done as needed according to the growth of ginger rhizomes.

[0046] 7) Harvesting was conducted on October 25, 2025, and yield and quality indicators were measured. Specific results are shown in Table 5 below:

[0047] The results show that group C had 3.6 buds per finger, twice that of group A, indicating stronger budding vigor; meanwhile, group C's yield reached 6153.4 kg / 667 m². 2 The yield increased by 27.22% compared to group A, indicating that the ginger seed obtained from experimental group III in Example 1 has high production potential, and the dry matter and volatile oil content of ginger in group C are also significantly higher than those of other treatment groups.

[0048] This invention addresses the problems of poor seed vigor, severe soil-borne diseases, large seed consumption, and lack of standardized superior varieties in existing asexual ginger propagation methods, providing a complete superior seed breeding technology system. The soilless cultivation method for superior ginger seed breeding of this invention includes the following steps: using a cultivation bag with a diameter of 35cm and a height of 40cm (white outside, black inside), fitted with a tray at the bottom; filling it with a compound substrate of coconut coir: peat moss: carbonized rice husks, and earthworm soil in a ratio of 2:1:1:1, replacing the substrate annually and sterilizing the old substrate at high temperature; selecting approximately 100g of healthy seed ginger, germinating it, sowing it, covering it with 3-5cm of soil and then covering it with a 0.012mm green film; employing integrated water and fertilizer management, with a nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium nutrient solution ratio of 2:1:3, and adjusting the EC value in stages; performing three hilling operations based on the number of branches, with a cumulative hilling height of 20cm; controlling water and fertilizer in the later stages of growth to promote seed ginger maturation. This invention isolates soil-borne diseases using a soilless substrate, improves the quality of ginger seed by precise water and fertilizer application and multiple hilling, controls the amount of seed used per plant to 100g, significantly reduces seed costs and disease incidence, establishes a standardized process for breeding superior ginger varieties, and produces ginger seed with uniform size, full buds, and excellent seed quality, which has good value for promotion and application.

[0049] The above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, and are not intended to limit it. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some of the technical features. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for propagating superior ginger varieties using hydroponics, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: 1) Construct a greenhouse equipped with an integrated water and fertilizer irrigation system; prepare cultivation containers with trays at the bottom; fill the cultivation containers with a compound substrate; 2) Select healthy, disease-free ginger rhizomes with plump buds as seed ginger. The weight of a single rhizome should be controlled at 90-105g. The selected seed ginger should be germinated at 25-30℃ and 80%-90% humidity. When the buds are 0.5-1.0cm long, they can be used for seed ginger. Each seed ginger should retain 1-2 strong buds. 3) Sow the germinated ginger seeds with the buds facing upwards in a cultivation container filled with compound substrate, and cover with soil to a thickness of 3-5cm; after sowing, cover the surface of the cultivation container with mulch; water thoroughly after sowing and keep the substrate moist until the ginger seedlings emerge and grow stably. 4) Throughout the ginger seedling growth period, nutrient solution is supplied through an integrated water and fertilizer system. The mass ratio of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium in the nutrient solution is 2:1:

3. The EC value of the nutrient solution is controlled at 1.0~1.2mS / cm from pre-emergence to the seedling stage; the EC value is adjusted to 1.5~1.8mS / cm from the seedling stage to the early branching stage; and the EC value is adjusted to 2.0~2.5mS / cm during the vigorous growth period. Each irrigation should keep the substrate moist but not waterlogged. 5) Based on the branching of ginger, add fresh substrate or sterilized old substrate evenly to the cultivation container and perform three hilling operations: First hilling, when three branches appear on the main stem, the hilling height is 5cm; Second hilling, when the number of branches reaches five, the hilling height is 10cm; Third hilling, when the number of branches reaches eight, the hilling height is 5cm. 6) During the growing season, control the daytime temperature inside the greenhouse to be 20-30℃ and the nighttime temperature to be no lower than 15℃.

2. The method for propagating superior ginger varieties through hydroponics according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cultivation container mentioned in step 1) is a PVC cultivation bag with a thickness of 0.1mm, a diameter of 35cm and a height of 40cm, and a white exterior and black interior.

3. The method for propagating superior ginger varieties through hydroponics according to claim 1, characterized in that, The compound substrate mentioned in step 1) includes a mixture of various ingredients such as coconut coir, peat moss, carbonized rice husks, earthworm soil, and mushroom residue.

4. The method for propagating superior ginger varieties through hydroponics according to claim 1, characterized in that, The substrate described in step 1) should be replaced annually. The old substrate should be sterilized by high-temperature steam, with the sterilization conditions being continuous steam treatment at 80~100℃ for 60 minutes.

5. The method for propagating superior ginger varieties through hydroponics according to claim 1, characterized in that, The mulch film mentioned in step 3) is a green mulch film with a thickness of 0.012 mm and a light transmittance of 70%.

6. The method for propagating superior ginger varieties through hydroponics according to claim 1, characterized in that, In step 4), the nutrient solution is supplied intermittently, and irrigation is carried out once every 1 to 5 days.

7. The method for propagating superior ginger varieties through hydroponics according to any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that, Stop supplying nutrient solution 15-20 days before harvest and switch to irrigation with clean water.

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