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2013 - 20187
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Subject: Spices, Plantation and Medicinal and Aromatic Plants × End date: 2018 × Start date: 2010 × Thesis Type: M.Sc ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Priming seed rhizome to enhance growth and yield of transplanted ginger (Zingiber officinale Rosc.)
    (Department of Plantation Crops and Spices, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, 2018) Dharini Chittaragi; KAU; Jalaja, S Menon
    In Kerala, ginger is cultivated as a rainfed crop, usually planted during April - May and harvested during December - January with a subsequent storage of seed rhizome for a period of 3 to 4 months to raise the next crop. Raising a transplanted ginger crop can decrease seed rate to 500-700 kg per hectare from1500 kg per hectare, reducing the cost of cultivation. Yield from rhizome sprouts of 3-5 g used as transplants is reported to be on par with the conventional system of direct planting of 20 g rhizome seed. Bio-priming ginger rhizome before transplanting was also found to be beneficial in increasing the yield of off-season green ginger. Hence, the present study was conducted to analyze the performance of primed portray transplants of ginger at various planting times. The experiment was conducted in Department of Plantation crops and Spices, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara using seed rhizomes of variety Aswathy. The research work was grouped into three experiments viz., studies of seed rhizomes during storage, effect of priming on ginger transplants in the nursery and field performance of primed protray raised ginger transplants. Studies on seed rhizome revealed that, a weight loss of 28 per cent was recorded in the seed rhizomes stored in Zero Energy Cool Chambers for three months (February to May 2017). Seed rhizome buds varied in length from 0.847μm to 2.19μm and breadth from 1.19 μm to 0.703μm before storage and at three months after storage respectively. Histochemical comparison of the rhizomes showed that the size of starch grain decreased from 40μm to 20 μm and the size of oil globules increased from 20 to 40 μm on three months’ storage. The performance of primed protray raised ginger transplants in nursery was assessed with 13 treatments during four planting times viz., February, March, April and May to identify the optimum planting time and priming treatment for seed rhizomes. The study revealed that, priming had influence on survival rate. The mean survival per cent of seed rhizomes planted in May (3MAS) was found to be superior (58.89%) to all other planting times irrespective of the priming treatments. The survival per cent of seed rhizome planted immediately after harvest (February) was the least (11.6%). However, the survival of seed rhizomes was found to increase drastically to 50.3 per cent and 50.1per cent during March (1 MAS) and April (2 MAS) respectively. In pooled analysis, seed rhizome primed with Ethephon 200 ppm performed better to all other priming treatments with a survival rate of 68.66 per cent irrespective of planting season. In transplants raised in March and April, priming with Ethephon 200 ppm was found to be superior with high survival per cent (96.9 and 99.0 % respectively). However in May, seed rhizomes primed by soaking in water for one hour (88%) was on par with soaking in water for half an hour (84.03%). These transplants were field planted at 45 days after sowing in nursery to polybags under partial shade at four planting time’s viz., March, April, May and June. The fresh rhizome yield was superior in transplants planted in the month April (451.83g/p) irrespective of priming treatments. In pooled analysis, the fresh rhizome yield from seed rhizome primed with Ethephon 200ppm (372.33g/p) was superior irrespective of planting seasons. Other priming treatments viz., Humigration (340.21g/p), Trichoderma viridae (343.89g/p), Pseudomonas fluorscens (340.2g/p), Trichoderma viridae + Pseudomonas fluorscens combination (335.94 g/p) and soaking in water for 1 hour (355.62g/p) were also on par with that of Ethephon 200 ppm with respect to fresh rhizome yield. The quality parameter like oil, oleoresin and crude fibre varied according to the planting season. Irrespective of the priming treatments, the oil content was high in the crop raised during March (1.42%). Priming with a combination of Trichoderma viridae + Pseudomonas fluorscens (0.96%), Hydropriming (0.86%), Humigration (0.91%) and Pseudomonas fluorscens (0.87%) were also superior in rhizome oil content, irrespective of planting time. The result indicated that to obtain maximum fresh rhizome yield, the optimum time of raising nursery is March (1 MAS) using seed rhizomes primed with Ethephon 200ppm. Seed rhizomes primed with Pseudomonas fluorscens, Trichoderma viridae, Humigration and Soaking in water can also be recommended considering the higher fresh rhizome yield and survival per cent in the nursery with a low seed rate.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Evaluation of “long pepper” {Piper longum L.) genotypes for growth, flowering and yield
    (Department of Plantation Crops and Spices, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, 2015) Maheswari R S Nair; KAU; Suma, B
    Long pepper (Piper longum L.) belonging to the family Piperaceae is one among the 14 medicinal plants which has high demand in indigenous drug industry and is also prioritized for cultivation and development by. National Medicinal Plant Board. Even though long pepper is well adapted for cultivation as an intercrop in coconut, arecanut and rubber plantations of Kerala, its cultivation is limited due to poor returns from the crop on account of high expenditure on harvesting due to staggered flowering and lack of high yielding varieties with high dry recovery. Germplasm collection of long pepper was initiated at the Department of Plantation Crops and Spices and was farther strengthened by^KSCSTE funded project and 60 types were assembled. After an initial evaluation, 42 types were selected including check variety ‘ViswanT for the present study. The present investigations on “Evaluation of “long pepper” (Piper longum L.) genotypes for growth, flowering and yield” was carried out in Department of Plantation Crops and Spices, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara during December 2012 to May 2014. The objectives of the study were to catalogue the germplasm accessions of long pepper, to study the flowering behavior fruit set and quality and to identify superior long pepper genotypes with high yield and quality. The experiment was laid out in completely randomized design, comprised of 42 treatments and six replications. The accessions studied were collected from Western Ghat regions of Kerala and also entries from NBPGR which includes the collections from different regions of Karnataka and Tirunelveli. Characters studied include six qualitative and eighteen quantitative characters including biochemical attributes. Cataloguing of accessions for qualitative characters using IPGRI descriptor for Piper nigrum revealed wide variation among accessions in growth habit, runner shoot production, leaf shape (base, lamina, margin), spike shape and spike colour. Among the forty two accessions studied, it was noticed that thirty eight accessions were found to be female, three found to be male and one non-flowering type. Maximum inflorescence (more than 55 per cent) was produced during June, July and August and minimum (less than 5 per cent) during December and January. In PL 42, PL 53 and PL 57 flowering was extended during May to October. Coefficient of variation for year round flowering ranged from 7.34 per cent to 46.32 per cent. Among accessions, number of primary branches, spike bearing branches per primary branch and leaves per plant ranged from 1.00 to 8.00, 1.00 to 6.71 and 21.67 to 166.0, respectively. The plant height, petiole length, intemodal length of spike bearing branches and leaf area ranged from 39.67 cm to 88.33cm, 1.11 cm to 7.56 cm, 1.86 cm to 7.38 cm and 25.98 cm2 to 63.87 cm 2, respectively. The days from planting to emergence and emergence to maturity of spike in female types ranged from 77 to 146 days and 60 to 80 days whereas, male accessions took 135-141 days and 61-64 days, respectively. Number of spikes/spike bearing branch ranged from 1.00 to 3.21 and coefficient of variation observed were 54.81%. Spike length and girth varied from 0.90 cm to 3.10 cm and 3.75 mm to 8.86 mm in female accessions and male accessions from 8.10 cm to 8.18 cm, and 4mm to 4.03 mm respectively. Coefficient of variation for spike length and girth were 7.87 per cent and 6.83 per cent, respectively. Fresh weight per spike recorded highest in PL8 (1.06 g) and dry weight per spike recorded maximum in PL 12(0.20 g). Fresh and dry yield per plant was recorded highest in PL8 which was on par with PL9 along with check variety Viswam. Coefficient of variation observed for fresh and dry yield per plant as 122.45 per cent and 120.44 per cent, respectively. Spike set percent was shown maximum by PL 8 (97.42 per cent) and driage by PL 49 (20.66 per cent). Based on yield parameters, PL 5, PL 8, PL 9, PL 15, PL 23, PL 24 and PL 25 along with check variety were selected as superior accessions. For volatile oil,oleoresin and piperine content, accessions PL 5, PL 8, PL 12 and PL 50 were promising. Cluster analysis among 42 accessions based on qualitative characters and 20 accessions based on quantitative characters were done by using Multivariate Hierrarchial Cluster Analysis using NTSYS software. The dendrogram derived through qualitative characteristics showed degree of similarity varying from 26 to 100 and at 81 per cent similarity long pepper accessions were grouped into seven clusters. Based on quantitative data, the accessions showed only 14 per cent similarity. Since the accessions showed wide variability it can be utilized in future breeding programmes.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Nutrient scheduling in bush pepper (piper nigrum L.)
    (Department of Plantation Crops and Spices College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 2018) Farhana, C; KAU; Sreekala, G S
    The present study entitiled “Nutrient scheduling in bush pepper (Piper nigrum L.) was taken up with the specific objective to standardize potting media and nutrient level in bush pepper for yield. The pot culture experiment on bush pepper was carried in the Department of Plantation Crops and Spices, College of Agriculture, Vellayani during the period 2017-18 using variety Panniyur 1.The efficacy of different combinations of organic manures and different levels and intervals of inorganic fertilizers were evaluated. The experiment was laid out in completely randomized design with three different types of potting media (P1, P2, P3), five inorganic fertilizer treatments (I1, I2, I3, I4, I5) and a control. The different types of potting media used were soil + FYM + neem cake + coir pith compost (P1), soil + FYM + vermicompost + coir pith compost ( P2) and soil + FYM + leaf compost + coir pith compost (P3) in the ratio 3:3:1:1. Inorganic fertilizers applied at different levels and intervals were I1- 37.5: 37.5: 50.0 g of NPK plant-1 year-1at monthly splits, I2 - 37.5: 37.5: 50.0 g of NPK plant-1 year-1 at quarterly splits, I3 - 25.0: 25.0: 50.0 g of NPK plant-1 year-1 at monthly splits, I4 - 25.0: 25.0: 50.0 g of NPK plant-1 year-1 at quarterly splits and I5 - 12.5:12.5:25.0 g of NPK plant-1 year-1 as soil application at equal monthly splits up to 3 MAP and foliar application of 13:0:45 (0.5 %) at fortnightly intervals from 4th MAP. The control treatment contained soil + sand+ FYM, (1:1:1) as potting mixture and inorganic fertilizer applied as per package of practices recommendations of KAU (1.0, 0.5, 2 g NPK plant-1 at bimonthly interval). Trichoderma @ 1 g kg-1 of potting medium and lime @ 50 g plant-1 were applied to all the treatments. The results of the study revealed that potting media containing soil + FYM + vermicompost + coir pith compost (3:3:1:1) and inorganic fertilizers applied at the rate of 25.0: 25.0: 50.0 g of NPK plant-1 year-1at quarterly splits (p2i4) recorded significantly higher plant growth characters like number of secondary branches, length of primary branches, length of secondary branches, number of leaves and leaf area from 8MAP to 12 MAP. Fresh weight, dry weight and volume of roots at 12 MAP were also significantly higher for the treatment combination, p2i4 Significantly higher dry matter production (150.92 g plant-1) at 12 MAP and chlorophyll content at 6 MAP was noticed in p2i4 while dry matter production was the least in control (72.42 g plant-1). The yield attributes like number of spikes plant-1, length of spike, number of berries spike-1, hundred berry weight, hundred berry volume, fresh and dry weight of berries were significantly higher for p2i4 recording a dry yield increase of 98 per cent over the control. Quality parameters of berries revealed that essential oil, oleoresin and piperine were highest in p2i4 while highest starch content was obtained in p1i5. . The total uptake of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium by bush pepper was significantly superior with a higher uptake of N (2.159 g plant-1), P (155.17 mg plant- 1 ), K (2.367 g plant-1), Ca (1.577 g plant-1), Mg (296.64 mg plant-1) and S (253.34 mg plant-1) in p2i4. Higher nitrogen harvest index (33.58 %), phosphorous harvest index (41.03 %) and potassium harvest index (31.41 %) were recorded from p2i4, indicating that nutrient removal in bush pepper was proportional to the yield. The discounted benefit-cost ratio was 2.51 with 67 % of Internal Rate of Return (IRR) for p2i4 implied that investments made in bush pepper following the above treatment was highly profitable. The results of the study indicated that growing bush pepper in potting medium containing soil + FYM + vermicompost + coir pith compost ( 3:3:1:1) with the application of inorganic fertilizers @ 25.0: 25.0: 50.0 g of NPK plant-1 year-1 scheduled at quarterly intervals produced better growth characters like number of secondary branches, length of primary and secondary branches, number of leaves, total leaf area , root dry weight and yield parameters like number of spikes and number of berries spike-1 which ultimately doubled the yield compared to the package of practices recommendations of KAU.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Characterisation of boron deficient coconut palms (Cocos nucifera L.)
    (Department of Plantation Crops and Spices, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 2017) Athulya, S Nair; KAU; Sreekala, G S
    The experiment entitled ‘‘Characterisation of boron deficient coconut palms ( Cocos nucifera L.)” was undertaken at farmer’s field in Kalliyoor panchayat of Thiruvananthapuram district during the period from April 2015 to March 2016. The objective of the study was to identify boron deficient coconut palms and predisposing factors responsible for deficiency based on the visual diagnosis and to study the morphological characters of boron deficient and healthy coconut palms. The survey was conducted among hundred coconut palms in Kalliyoor panchayat of Thiruvananthapuram district to identify coconut palms deficient in boron based on visual symptoms listed by CPCRI. Based on the symptoms a ten scale score was developed and boron deficient palms were categorized as mild, moderate and severe intensity and compared with soil and plant boron status . The field, soil , plant characteristics and management aspects of coconut palms deficient in boron were identified based on questionnaire prepared. The morphological and yield parameters were observed at 45 days interval for one year in five palms each from mild, moderate and severe intensity and was compared with healthy palms. The results of the survey showed that the boron deficiency in palms were restricted to age group between 20-45 years grown on red loam soil with pH 6.0-7.5. The deficiency symptoms were common in coconut fields where intercropping was practiced (63 %) and in other fields with poor agronomic management (37 %). Mite and coreid bug attack were prominent ( 89 % and 53 % respectively). Diseases among deficient palms were restricted to 26 percentage and leaf rot was the major one. Common visual symptoms of palms with mild intensity were reduced leaf size, length. hooked leaves, fused leaves, and leaflets with relatively higher internodal Necrotic inflorescence, reduced nut set, poor nut size, nuts with hen and chicken symptoms and crowded crown were prominent in moderate to severely intensity groups. The morphological and yield parameters of selected palms of four groups indicated significant difference between palms of healthy and severe intensity for number of leaves, leaflet internodal length, number of female flowers per bunch of unfertilized inflorescence, opened and unopened spadices, bunches per palm, malformed nuts, volume of nut water, weight of embryo and shell throughout the observation period . The cortical cells of root were loosely packed for boron deficient palms of moderate and severe intensity. Nuts from healthy palms when compared with that from the mild, moderate and severe intensity differed significantly with respect to weight of unhusked nut, weight of husked nut, nuts set per bunch, nuts per palm per year, polar and equatorial diameter of unhusked nut, thickness of husk , weight of opened nut, thickness of meat, weight of kernel ,weight of copra and oil content and the difference was proportional to enhancement in intensity of deficiency. The available boron status in soil and plant were significantly superior in healthy palms. Identification of predisposing factors revealed poor agronomic management, intensive cultivation and low organic matter resulted in B deficieny in Coconut growing areas. The results indicated that B had marked influence in enhancing the yield characteristics of coconut particularly of thickness of meat, weight of kernel, weight of copra, oil content etc. There is a significant reduction in the yield of deficient coconut compared to that of healthy palms. The study thus substantiate the importance of boron in the nutrition of coconut palms.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Standardisation of agro techniques for transplanted ginger ( Zingiber officinale rosc.)
    (Department of Plantation Crops and Spices, College of Agriculture, Vellanikkara, 2017) Sandra Merin, Mathew; KAU; Sreekala, G S
    ulches @30,15, and 7.5 t ha -1 (M1,M2,M3 respectively) and plastic mulch (M4). For M1 and M2, half the quantity of organic mulch was applied at the time of transplanting and the remaining at two months after transplanting sub plot treatments were T1(75:50:50kg of NPK ha-1), T2(150:100:100 kg ha-1), T3(T1+foliar application of 19:19:19 @ 0.5% applied at 1,3,4 MAT and T4(100:75:75 kg ha-1+foliar application of 19:19:19 @0.5% applied at 1,2,3 MAT). For all treatment except C2, half N, full P and half K were applied at the time of transplanting and remaining half N, half K applied at two MAT. Two control plots, one with ginger rhizomes planted with recommended nutrient level as per KAU POP (C1) and other absolute control (c2) was also included. Two nodded rhizome bits of ginger cultivar was raised in portrays with Trichoderma enriched coir pith compost and FYM in the ratio 2:1 for treatments except C1, and were transplanted at 11/2-2 months age in beds taken in the interspaces of coconut. FYM @ 30 t ha-1 was applied uniformly to all plots except absolute control. The result revealed that growth parameters like plant height, number of leaves per plant, shoot weight, dry matter production, net assimilation rate, leaf area index, leaf area duration were significantly higher for mulch, M1 (30t ha-1) and fertilizer dose, T2 (150:100:100 kg ha-1 NPK). The yield attributes like fresh yield, dry yield, harvest index, dry recovery, rhizome thickness, rhizome spread were significantly higher for M1 and T2. Considering the treatment interaction increased growth, yield character, uptake of N,P,K, agronomic efficiency of N,P,K were observed with mulching @30 t ha-1 along with a fertilizer of 150:100:100 kg ha-1NPK(m1t2). The quality parameters of ginger rhizome at harvest viz., starch, oil, fibre. Non Volatile Ether Extract ( NVEE) were higher for M1 while for starch and NVEE it was on par with M4. Starch, volatile oil, NVEE and fibre were more for T2 while the volatile oil content in T2 was on par with T4 at the time of harvest. Among combinations m1t2. (mulching @ 30 t ha-1 with 150:100:100 kg ha-1 NPK) significantly increased starch, fibre, oil and NVEE on all stages of observation. The weed count and weed dry weight were significantly low in treatments with plastic mulch. Nutrient balance sheet studies revealed the significance of plastic mulch in reducing the net loss of nutrients. The treatment combination, m1t2 registered higher net profit and B: C ratio. The results of the study indicated that of ginger transplants intercropped in coconut garden, that mulching @ 30 t ha-1(half at transplanting and half 2 MAT) along with 150:100:100 kg NPK ha-1 and basal application of 30 t ha-1 of farm yard manure could be recommended for higher yield, quality and profit. It also resulted in 24 percent increase in dry ginger yield over the conventional method of planting and nutrient application.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Characterisation and evaluation of somaclones in ginger (Zingiber officinale Rosc.)
    (Department of Plantation Crops and Spices, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, 2013) Aswathy, Dev; KAU; Alice, Kurian
    The present study entitled “ Characterization and evaluation of somaclones in ginger (Zingiber officinale Rosc.)” was taken up at College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, during 2011-13 to characterize and evaluate twenty five somaclones derived through indirect methods of regeneration along with three parent cultivars (Z-0-78, Z-0-86 and Himachal Pradesh) and two check varieties (Karthika and Varada). The experiment was laid out in an RBD design with 30 treatments in two replications. Wide variability was observed among somaclones for 26 quantitative and four qualitative characters. Extent of variation was more in somaclones when compared to check varieties rather than parent cultivars. Somaclones exhibited superiority over parent cultivars in morphological characters such as leaf area, number of leaves, number of shoots, and girth of pseudostem. Cent per cent of somaclones showed increase over check varieties in plant height, leaf length, leaf width and leaf area. Somaclones derived from Himachal Pradesh registered maximum increase in morphological characters. Among rhizome characters, number of quaternary fingers recorded maximum increase followed by internodal length of primary fingers and number of tertiary fingers in the somaclones. Cent per cent of somaclones showed increase over parent cultivars in length and inter-nodal length of primary fingers while cent per cent showed increase over check varieties for girth of rhizome. Somaclones derived from Z-0-86 recorded superiority in rhizome characters over those derived from Himachal Pradesh and Z-0-78. Ninety two per cent of somaclones showed higher yield over parent cultivars while eighty four per cent of somaclones showed higher rhizome yield over check varieties. Somaclones derived from Z-0-86 alone recorded higher driage and dry yield was also seen to be maximum. Somaclones in general recorded low crude fibre content registering its suitability for fresh ginger and value added products. Volatile oil content was found higher in somaclones, seventy per cent over parent cultivars and seventy four per cent over check varieties. Higher recovery of volatile oil and oil yield was noticed in somaclones of Z-0-86. Oleoresin recovery was high in somaclones derived from HP while oleoresin yield was found high in somaclones derived from Z-0-86. DUS characterization of somaclones based on 17 characters as per PPV & FR Act (2001) was done and this will be useful for plant variety protection. Assessment of variability in somaclones based on 30 characters indicated that number of quaternary fingers had the highest coefficient of variation followed by number of tertiary and primary fingers, number of shoots and number of leaves. Significant and positive correlation with yield was observed for fifteen characters out of the 30 characters studied. GCV was found very near to PCV for 13 characters indicating high effect of genotype on phenotypic expression. Visual characters such as leaf width and length, girth of pseudostem, number of primaries, length, thickness, internodal length of primary and secondary rhizomes and girth of rhizomes having high positive correlation with yield and having high heritability appear to be good selection indices in ginger. Clustering of 30 genotypes based on 26 qualitative characters and four qualitative characters resulted in 13 and five clusters respectively. The accessions belonging to a quantitative cluster fell in different clusters during qualitative clustering suggesting that the somaclones are more divergent in quality attributes. Screening of somaclones for reaction to rhizome rot and bacterial wilt through artificial inoculation could locate 13 somaclones tolerant to rhizome rot and six somaclones tolerant to bacterial wilt which was substantiated by sick plot screening and natural screening. Field tolerance to shoot borer and leaf spot incidence was not observed in the somaclones. Considering yield, quality and reaction to pests and diseases, six promising somaclones were selected (SE 86 81, SE 86 142, SE 86 40, SE 86 131, C 86 139 and C 86 124). The selected somaclones registered a yield increase of 28-85 per cent compared to released varieties and parent cultivars. The somaclone SE 86 40 is promising for high essential oil and oleoresin yield as well. The somaclones are especially suitable as fresh ginger and for value added products. The promising somaclones selected needs to be assessed over seasons and locations to study the stability under different environment. Metabolite profiling of the somaclones enables identification of novel chemotypes. Screening of the somaclones for value added products, taking advantage of low fibre profile of the rhizomes should take precedence as this will diversify the end product utilization and safe guard farmers against price crash of the only one primary product, dry rhizomes.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Screening somaclones of ginger (Zingiber cfficinale rosc.) for value addition
    (College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, 2015) Anand, Kankanawadi; KAU; KAU; Alice, Kurian
    The present study entitled “Screening somaclones of ginger (Zingiber officinale Rosc.) for value addition” was taken up at College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara during 2013-15 to evaluate forty somaclones for quality attributes and value addition. These forty somaclones were selected from a base population of 289 somaclones, developed through indirect organogenesis and indirect embryogenesis with and without mutagenesis from three cultivars (two induced polyploids Z-0-78, Z-0-86 and the diploid cultivar Himachal Pradesh) and maintained as a part of the DBT funded project at Dept. of Plantation Crops and Spices. Somaclones exhibited wide variability in rhizome yield and quality attributes. Somaclones derived from polyploid parent Z-0-86 recorded higher fresh and dry rhizome yield compared to somaclones derived from Z-0-78 and HP. Among forty somaclones, SE 86 81 recorded highest fresh rhizome yield (28.81t ha-1), followed by SE 86 131, SE 86 83 and SE 86 40. The somaclones C 86 23 showed highest dry rhizome yield (6.43 t ha-1), followed by somaclones SE 86 81 and SE 86 41. The quality attributes such as driage, volatile oil, oleoresin, starch and crude fibre contents varied significantly in the somaclones. Among forty somaclones, SE HP 8 recorded maximum driage (27.13%), followed by somaclones SE 86 41 and C 86 23. The somaclone SE 86 40 showed highest volatile oil content (2.40%), followed by CHP 99. Somaclones derived from Z-0-86 showed higher oleoresin content, with the highest value in C 86 124 (5.94%), followed by SE 86 41 and C 86 40. In general, the somaclones showed lower crude fibre content which is considered as a desirable quality attribute for fresh ginger and value added products. The starch content among the somaclones ranged from 40.59 to 52.56% and high starch yielding types were SE HP 8, C 86 139 and SE 78 26. Studies on changes in quality attributes of ginger somaclones with crop maturity indicated that essential oil and oleoresin 174 contents decreased with increase in crop duration, while starch and crude fibre contents increased with crop maturity, in all the somaclones. Chemoprofiling of volatile oil of 11 ginger somaclones revealed the presence of 44 aroma compounds. Among the different classes of compounds, sesquiterpene hydrocarbons are quantitatively the major constituents. Among sesquiterpene hydrocarbons, zingiberene was predominant (23.28%) and the content was highest in the somaclone CHP 99 (29.64 %), followed by C 86 40 and SE 86 40. HPLC analysis of pungency principles revealed that 6- gingerol was the predominant one in all the ginger somaclones. The highest 6-gingerol was observed in the somaclone C 86 124 (2.44 %), followed by SE 78 26 and SE 86 81. The content of total gingerols was also high in these somaclones. The shogaols level ranged from 0.24 to 0.49 % and highest shogaols content (0.49 %) was in the somaclone C 86 40, followed by SE 86 81 and C 86 Screening of ginger somaclones for value added products such as paste and candy revealed that somaclones SE 86 40 and SE 86 131 were ideal for preparation of ginger candy and somaclones C 86 23 and SE 86 131, for ginger paste, because these somaclones recorded higher sensory scores than control and showed lower variation in physico- chemical parameters during storage. Studies on storage stability of the products revealed that parameters like moisture, colour, pH and sensory scores showed a decreasing trend, while TSS, titratable acidity, non enzymatic browning, polyphenol oxidase activity and microbial count showed slight increase in all somaclones and control. The study could identify promising ginger somaclones for different end uses such as fresh ginger, dry ginger, volatile oil, oleoresin extraction and gingerol extraction and preparation of paste and candy.