This project is to develop an IPM package for one of the emerging crops ginger (zingiber officinale)

The Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture awarded Virginia State University $297,618 on January 15, 2026, under the 1890 Institution Capacity Building Grants program (CFDA 10.216) to develop an integrated pest management package for ginger production.

The project addresses seed-piece and soil-borne diseases threatening ginger production in Virginia, the mid-Atlantic region, and globally. Virginia State University will identify and characterize these diseases in both indoor and outdoor ginger production systems, develop integrated management strategies for major pre- and post-harvest diseases, and deliver fact-based information to stakeholders to increase adoption of ginger as an alternative niche crop in the U.S. The research employs multi-pronged phytobiome approaches targeting the seed-piece, transplants, grown plants, and associated rhizosphere microbes to improve productivity, profitability, and crop adoption. The findings will be translatable to other vegetatively propagated root and tuber crops.

Performance runs through January 14, 2029, at Petersburg, Virginia. The 1890 Institution Capacity Building Grants program strengthens research, Extension, and teaching in food and agricultural sciences by building institutional capacities of the 1890 land-grant universities, which are historically Black institutions established under the Second Morrill Act of 1890.

Most of the global production of ginger comes from asia while the U.S. Continues to be the top importer of the crop to meet its increased demand because of the multifaceted health benefits as an herbal medicine. Seed-piece and soil-borne diseases (ssds) are threatening ginger production in virginia the mid-atlantic region and worldwide. Multi-pronged phytobiome approaches impacting the seed-piece the transplants the grown plant and associated microbes around the rhizosphere will be tested for improved productivity profitability and adoption of the crop. The following are three objectives of the project: (1) identify and characterize ssds threatening indoor and outdoor ginger production (2) develop integrated management strategies for major pre- and post-harvest diseases of ginger and (3) deliver fact-based information to stakeholders thereby increase adoption of ginger as alternative niche crop in the U.S. The impact will be far reaching in scope and translatable to vegetatively propagated root and tuber crops. This project can contribute to traditional medical approaches in disease prevention by aligning with the maha initiative and new markets for US commodities addressing the american first goal.