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MANGO-GINGER
(Curcuma amada)
It
is an under-exploited spice crop, which grows luxuriantly
in tropical soils with good drainage. The rhizomes of
mango-ginger are used for preparing pickles, chutney,
preserve, candy, sauce and salad and in meat and other
culinary preparations. The rhizome has excellent medicinal
properties and finds extensive use in the indigenous system
of medicine. It is, appetizer, antipyretic, aphrodisiac
and laxative. It is useful in biliousness, itching, skin
diseases, bronchitis, asthma, hiccough and inflammation
due to injuries. The rhizomes and roots are carminative
and stomachic and in crushed pulp form they are applied
over contusions, sprains and bruises for rapid healing.
Mango-ginger
is botanically related to neither mango nor ginger,
but to turmeric (Curcuma longa). Morphologically mango-ginger
plant is similar to turmeric, but has shorter crop duration
of six months. The rhizomes are pale yellow inside with
lighter colour outside, have sweet smell of unripe mango
when crushed. The crop comes up well in open conditions,
but tolerates low levels of shade and therefore partially
shaded situations can also be utilized for its cultivation.
It can be well accommodated as an intercrop in coconut
gardens and in rotation with other short duration crops
like vegetables and also as a crop component in homesteads.
Seed
material and varieties
Whole or split mother rhizomes or well developed, healthy
and disease free finger rhizomes weighing 15-20 g are
suitable for planting. In Kerala, local varieties are
used for cultivation. Amba is a released variety from
High Altitude Research Station, Pottangi, Orissa.
Preparation
of land
Prepare the land to a good tilth during February-March
subject to the availability of pre-monsoon showers. Prepare
beds of convenient length, 1.2 m width, 25 cm height and
40 cm spacing between beds.
Season and method of planting
Plant during April with the commencement of pre-monsoon
showers. Take small pits in the beds with a spacing of
25 x 30 cm and at a depth of 4-5 cm. Adopt a seed rate
of 1500 kg/ha.
Mulching
Mulch the crop immediately after planting with green leaves
@ 15 t/ha. Repeat mulching after 50 days with same quantity
of green leaves.
Manuring
Apply cattle manure or compost as basal dose @ 30-40
t/ha, spread over the beds and mix well. Apply N:P2O5:K2O
fertilizer @ 30:30:60 kg/ha. Full dose of P2O5 and half
dose of K2O may be applied as basal. Apply two-third
dose of nitrogen 30 days after planting and remaining
N and K2O at 60 days after planting.
Aftercultivation
The rhizomes germinate within 3-4 weeks. Remove weeds
45 days after planting and repeat if necessary. Earth
up the crop after 60 days of planting.
Plant
protection
Compared to the related crops ginger and turmeric, the
crop is free from pests and diseases. But when large-scale
cultivation is taken up, the attack of shoot borer (Conogethes
punctiferalis) causes, damage to the crop. Appearance
of dead heart in the field is the main symptom. To reduce
the pest population, pull out the dead hearts with the
larvae inside and burn it. If infestation is severe, spray
dimethoate or quinalphos at 0.05%.
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