Kozhikode: Though Keralites are really familiar with the benefits of ginger, most of us are unlikely to know the different varieties of ginger. For all the curious plant lovers, a Ginger Garden has been arranged at the Indian Institute of Spices Research in Chelavoor introducing over 300 ginger plants of about 100 species.
From the rare ginger collected from Andaman and Nicobar Islands to ginger varieties from all the states in India can be seen in the garden. The genetic diversity in the Northeast states like Assam, Sikkim and Tripura also is notable. The plants belonging to the ginger family of Zingiberaceae include medicinal herbs and also ornamental varieties.
The plants of Zingiberaceae family are diverse in terms of shape, size and colour. Attractive flowers and leaves are their major characteristics. The ginger collection in the garden will be helpful for developing better varieties of ginger in the future. Their medicinal properties also are being subjected to research.
The garden was prepared with the financial support of the National Department of Biotechnology and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research. There are also facilities to understand the features of each plant by scanning the QR code given along with them.
