• Neelam Gurung
• Dr. Sushen Pradhan
• Dr. Bharat Chandra Basistha
• Dr. Veena Pande

Ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe) is the chief cash crop for marginal farmers in Sikkim. The state is among the third largest producer of ginger in North-Eastern India. People have been using ginger in culinary and medication since ancient times besides its numerous therapeutic properties like antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, antiemetic, anti-inflammatory, carminative, etc. Globally ginger is susceptible to several pests and diseases resulting in a loss in yield and economy. In Sikkim, ginger is infected commonly by Pythium spp., Fusarium oxysporum and Ralstonia solanacearum. But, the severity of Pythium soft rot became a troublemaker to the farmers in the past two decades, and they are in dilemma whether to continue ginger cultivation or shift to other crops like seasonal vegetables, fruits, etc. Also, marketing-related issues viz. lack of organized primary and terminal markets, uneven price information among growers, high transportation cost, etc. adding up to the downfall of ginger cultivation in Sikkim. Pythium spp. is abundantly present in soil and water and has a diverse range of hosts thereby making the management with synthetic fungicide quite difficult. It induces diseases like root rot, damping off, and causes serious damage to a wide variety of crops. Chemical fungicides are criticized throughout the world as it has detrimental effects on environment, human, animal, and soil health. Eventually, these problems lead several researchers to look for other alternatives for disease management as Bio-control Agents (BCAs). This review paper gives insight on the incidence of PSR, the current scenario of different control measures including BCAs, integrated management against PSR, and problems regarding controlling disease effectively. Further, the details of soft rot disease history and its management in Sikkim are also summarized in brief. The information present in this review is anticipated to benefit policymakers, upcoming scholars, ginger growers, and students for future references.

Pythium spp.; Pythium Soft rot; Bio-control agents; Sikkim

"Pythium soft rot (PSR): A Review with Special Reference to Sikkim Himalaya", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.11, Issue 11, page no.e679-e694, November-2024, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2411475.pdf

"Pythium soft rot (PSR): A Review with Special Reference to Sikkim Himalaya", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.11, Issue 11, page no. ppe679-e694, November-2024, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2411475.pdf