The aim of this work was to determine the variations in total soluble sugar and starch levels during the different development stages of ginger seedlings. Survival parameters, as well as total soluble sugar and starch levels, were evaluated during micropropagation, acclimation and field cultivation phases. The survival of plants was 100% after 60 days of acclimation, whereas under field conditions such value was 80% after the same period. In the first year of cultivation, mean starch levels were higher in micropropagated plants, both in leaves (303.19 ± 0.17 mgGlu gFM-1) and in roots (3341.59 ± 1.24 mg Glu gFM-1). High mean starch levels were detected in rhizomes (164.91 ± 2.4 mg Glu gFM-1) and buds (190.88 ± 0.25 mgGlu gMF-1). The mean levels of total soluble sugars were lower in plants in vitro: 86.56 ± 0.55 mgGlu gFM-1 and 94.26 ± 0.40 mgGlu gFM-1 in leaves and roots, respectively. Higher values were obtained for plants acclimatized in greenhouse, both in leaves (168.22 ± 0.77 mgGlu gFM-1) and roots (189.68 ± 0.70 mgGlu gFM-1); these values were inferior to those detected in leaves and roots of plants grown in the field, which were 227.51 ± 0.8 and 183.97 ± 0.32 mgGlu gFM-1, respectively. In the second cultivation cycle, mean starch levels in rhizomes, buds and roots increased to 210.87 ± 0.85 mgGlu gFM-1, 203.45 ± 0.91 mgGlu gFM-1 and 201 ± 0.69 mgGlu gFM-1, respectively, whereas in leaves these values progressively decreased (41.55 ± 0.88 mgGlu gFM-1) until 240 days of cultivation. However, leaves presented high mean total soluble sugar levels in the initial period, with a posterior decline over the development in greenhouse. The opposite was observed in roots (225.29 ± 0.75 mgGlu gFM-1), rhizomes (250.08 ± 0.93 mgGlu gFM-1) and buds (225.75 ± 0.80 mgGlu gFM-1). Based on the high survival rate of acclimatized plants and the higher levels of total soluble sugars and starch in early stages of cultivation, acclimation is recommended to assure higher plant survival and reserve allocation.
Zingiber officinale; micropropagation; acclimation; total sugars; starch
