Control of Bacterial Wilt Disease of Ginger through an Integrated Pest Management Program

Project Overview

SW10-013
Project Type: Research and Education
Funds awarded in 2010: $289,245.00
Projected End Date: 12/31/2014
Region: Western
State: California
Principal Investigator:
Dr. Susan Miyasaka
Email
University of Hawaii

Annual Reports

Commodities

  • Additional Plants: ginger

Practices

  • Crop Production: crop rotation, cover crops, multiple cropping
  • Education and Training: demonstration, extension, farmer to farmer, focus group, on-farm/ranch research, participatory research, workshop
  • Farm Business Management: whole farm planning, budgets/cost and returns, feasibility study, agricultural finance
  • Natural Resources/Environment: biodiversity
  • Pest Management: compost extracts, cultural control, field monitoring/scouting, integrated pest management, mulches - killed
  • Production Systems: holistic management, integrated crop and livestock systems
  • Soil Management: earthworms, green manures, soil microbiology
  • Sustainable Communities: local and regional food systems, new business opportunities, employment opportunities, sustainability measures

    Abstract:

    The overall goal of this project is to develop and demonstrate sustainable farming practices that control bacterial wilt in edible ginger. We have: a) grown and distributed over 1,300 pounds of bacterial wilt-free ginger seed pieces to commercial and backyard growers; b) completed our ginger wilt website that has been accessed over 3,800 times from 66 countries; c) developed a method to test for presence of Ralstonia solanacearum in soil that has been adopted by the Agricultural Diagnostic Service Center; and d) helped to develop bacterial wilt-free seed ginger as a new, high valued product.

    Project objectives:

    The overall goal of this project is to develop and demonstrate sustainable farming practices that control bacterial wilt in edible ginger.

    Specific objectives were to:

    1) demonstrate the importance of clean planting materials;
    2) demonstrate procedures to test fields for Ralstonia solanacearum;
    3) conduct field studies to determine the effectiveness of green manure crops or rotational crops for pathogen control;
    4) conduct greenhouse studies to determine the effectiveness of vermicomposts to control R. solanacearum;
    5) conduct economic analysis of sustainable, farming practices; and
    6) disseminate information and enhance farmer adoption of practices through a video and a web site.

    Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture or SARE.