Promoting resilience in ginger: Elicitor‐driven strategies to combat the rhizome rot disease

Abstract

Ginger rhizome rot is one of the most important diseases brought about by the interaction of various pathogens. The present study revealed the association of Pythium aphanidermatum, Fusarium oxysporum, Fusarium solani, Sclerotium rolfsii, Ralstonia solanacearum and Meloidogyne hapla causing the rhizome rot of ginger. The use of specific primers revealed the species‐level identification of the pathogen and Koch postulates proved the pathogenicity of individual pathogen. Till date, there are no resistant varieties available and the available management strategies are cumbersome because of the complex nature of pathogens involved. In the present study, we evaluated the effect of different elicitors to induce resistance against complex pathogens. External application of elicitors resulted in higher expression of defence response genes such as the ethylene responsive transcription factor, HMGR, HMGS, HSP, ABC, MLO, WRKY, callose synthase, glucanase and PR‐5. All the genes were expressed in higher folds as compared to zero hours during the real‐time PCR analysis. External application of methyl jasmonate as prophylactic manner resulted in reduced per cent disease incidence and rhizome rot as compared to curative treatments.