Guwahati: Meghalaya’s prized ginger crop, known for its high gingerol content and premium market value, is facing a newly identified fungal threat that could pose serious risks to farmers across the state.
A recent peer-reviewed study by researchers from the Department of Biotechnology & Bioinformatics and the Department of Botany at North-Eastern Hill University has identified two previously unreported fungal pathogens affecting ginger leaves in Meghalaya.
The study, titled “Identification and Characterisation of Poitrasia circinans and Neoscirrhia matteucciicola Associated with Ginger in Meghalaya, India,” was conducted by Vishal Kumar Mohan, Sheetal Joshi, Saroj Kanta Barik, and Santa Ram Joshi, and published in the journal Discover Plants (2026).
Researchers detected the fungi Neoscirrhia matteucciicola and Poitrasia circinans during field surveys carried out in August 2024. While both pathogens are new reports for ginger in Meghalaya, the identification of N. matteucciicola marks its first-ever recorded occurrence in India.
Previously, N. matteucciicola had been reported in Curcuma wenyujin in China and in ginger crops in Indonesia, while P. circinans has been linked to hosts such as dragon fruit, tea, and rice.
Their presence in Meghalaya’s ginger fields suggests a possible expansion of host range. Farmers had initially observed unusual white leaf spots surrounded by yellow halos, symptoms that indicate chlorophyll loss and reduced photosynthetic activity. Over time, these lesions enlarge, turn greyish, and reveal fungal structures under microscopic examination.
Leaf samples from the Mahima variety of ginger were analysed using both morphological and molecular methods, including ITS and 18S rDNA sequencing. The results showed up to 99–100% genetic similarity with known reference species.
Pathogenicity tests conducted under controlled conditions (28°C and 60–70% humidity) reproduced the disease symptoms within 5–7 days, confirming both fungi as causal agents in line with Koch’s postulates.
The findings are particularly concerning given ginger’s importance as a key livelihood crop in Meghalaya. The state is a major producer in Northeast India, with locally adapted varieties rich in gingerols. According to the study, leaf spot diseases in ginger can lead to yield losses of up to 66% in severe cases.
Combined with post-harvest and storage losses linked to fungal infections, the overall impact on farmers could be significant.
Climatic conditions during the survey, 27°C temperature and 91.9% humidity, were highly favourable for fungal growth. Meghalaya’s high rainfall, humidity, and loamy soils create an ideal environment not just for ginger cultivation but also for pathogen spread.
The researchers caution that changing rainfall patterns and shifting climatic conditions may be contributing to the emergence of new foliar diseases. They also highlight potential cross-infection risks, as ginger is often grown in rotation with turmeric (Curcuma longa). Since N. matteucciicola has previously been reported in related species, the risk within the Zingiberaceae family warrants further investigation.
The study calls for closer monitoring, early detection strategies, and improved disease management practices to safeguard one of Meghalaya’s most valuable agricultural crops.