Importance, Genetic Diversity and Prospects for Varietal Improvement of Ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe) in Burkina Faso

Ginger (Zingiber officinale Rosc.) is a very important spice for rural and urban communities in Burkina Faso. Cultivation of ginger is mainly practiced by traditional farmers, and its commercialisation offers substantial income to farmers, traders and processors. The tuber contains enormous medicinal and nutritional potential, and can thus contribute to qualitative improvement of the diet of consumers. Despite the many advantages of this plant, it remained underexploited due to insufficient knowledge of cultivation methods, its cycle duration and its water requirement, which confines the crop mainly to the western region of Burkina Faso. Such under-exploitation has been exacerbated due to little attention dedicated to ginger research in the country. Therefore, preservation and improvement of ginger quality represent an important challenge for the various actors of this crop’s industry. The present review highlights the importance of ginger, its role in crop diversification, its medicinal and nutritional properties, as well as the future areas of selection and genetic improvement of this species in Burkina Faso.