Isolation and Molecular Characterisation of Ginger (Zingiber officinale. rosc.) Soft Rot Pathogenic Fungi from Champhai District of Mizoram, India

Ginger (Zingiber officinale Rosc.,Zingiberaceae) is an important crop grown in India known for its therapeutic uses. Wilting caused by bacteria, soft rot and yellow disease caused by fungi are the major diseases affecting Ginger production and its cultivation hampering its growth and development. The current study emphasize on the morphological and molecular identification of fungal pathogens causing soft rot disease in ginger that have become one of the major problem among farmers of Mizoram, India as a result of which resulted in a huge decline in rhizome yield and its production. Nevertheless, due to limited studies of the medicinal plants the causative agents associated with these plants are not available. The objective of this study is to investigate the diversity of fungi that cause soft rot in ginger. Twenty fungi were successfully isolated from four villages of Champha iDistrict, Mizoram. The fungi isolated from the infected rhizome were cultured and identification was carried out using morphological characteristics and molecular analysis of DNA sequence generated from Internal Transcribed Spacer rDNA region. Of the samples collected, F. solani,F. oxysporum, P. myriotylum were the most common causative agents. Much research work has yet to be undertaken explore the diversity of pathogrnic fungi causing soft rot in Mizoram which could be very significant in introducing competent and eco-friendly disease management programme.