Response of different substrates and irrigation water levels on yield and oil quality of ginger grown in greenhouse

Abstract

Growing media and irrigation water level are the most important factors affecting plant yield and quality throughout the world. The present research was conducted in greenhouse located in Batı Akdeniz Agricultural Research Institute between 2019 and 2020 growing season to determine the effects of different substrates and irrigation levels on yield and phenolic and essential oil compounds of ginger (Zingiber officinale). In this research, in order to investigate the effects of different substrates and irrigation levels on physiological characteristics and yield of ginger, an experiment was conducted as factorial, in which the main factor was three substrates (S1: 75% cocopeat + 25% perlite, S2: 50% peat + 50% perlite, and S3: 25% zeolite + 75% peat) and the sub factor was four irrigation levels, I1:100% I2: 75%, I3: 50%, and I4:25% were applied experimental plots according to the daily solar radiation values reaching the greenhouse, with 3 replications. Evapotranspiration values ranged between 49.7-198.7 L plant-1 and 51.7-206.9 L plant-1 in 2019 and 2021 years, respectively. Rhizome fresh weight values for S1, S2, S3 and S4 were determined as134.8, 94.7, 71.2 and 31.1 g in 2019 and 164.5, 148.1, 95.1 and 74.9 g in 2020, respectively. Water deficit stress significantly (P ≤ 0.01) increased 6-gingerol, 6-shogaol, α-zingiberene, α-farnesene, and geranly-acetate contents while it decreased β-sesquiphellandrene and β-bisabolene content. It is concluded that essential oil yield of ginger decreased depending on the increasing irrigation water stress levels.