Preface The history of spices is almost as old as human civilization. It is a history of lands discovered, empires built and brought down, wars won and lost, treaties signed and flouted, flavors sought and offered and the rise and fall different religious practices and beliefs. Spices were among the most valuable items of trade in the ancient and medieval times. Around 3500 BC the ancient Egyptians were using spices for flavoring food, in cosmetics and for embalming their dead. The uses of spices spread rapidly through the Middle East to Eastern Mediterranean and Europe. Spices have been closely connected to magic, culture, tradition, preservation, medicine and embalming since early in human history. Spices played a vital role in India’s external trade with Mesopotamia, China, Egypt and Arabia along with perfumes and textiles as far back as 7000 years ago, way before the Greek and Roman civilization. Subsequently different countries worldwide have monopolized spice production and trade at different times. Now spice cultivation has become quite common and almost all countries of the world are producing spices depending upon the climatic conditions of the countries. The climate of India is quite suitable for the cultivation of most of the spices and so India has become a forerunner of spice production and trade. India is earning millions of dollars in foreign exchange as a result of spice trade.

A ‘spice’ is a seed, fruit, root, bark, bulb, corm, rhizome or any other part of a plant primarily used for enhancing the taste, flavor or color of food. Some spices serve as preservative of food substances. Many spices have antimicrobial properties. Spices are sometimes used in medicines, religious rituals, cosmetics, perfumes etc. Spices are more commonly used in countries having warmer climates, especially in meat preparations. Many spices have substantial antioxidant property due to the presence of phenol compounds, particularly flavanoids. India is the major producer of spices and contributes about 75 per cent of world’s spice production. Developing and under developed countries of the world supply about 55 per cent of spices to the global markets and the major markets in global spice trade are the United States of America, The European Union, Japan, Singapore, Saudi Arabia and Malaysia.

1. Ginger (Zingiber officinale) ‘Ginger’, which originated in Southeast Asia has a long history that goes back over 5000 years when the Indians and Ancient Chinese considered it as a tonic root for all ailments. At an early date it was exported to Ancient Rome from India and was used extensively by the Romans. Subsequently it was cultivated in several other countries for its medicinal value. Ginger is cultivated in most of the states of India. Kerala and Meghalaya are the major ginger growing states. India’s production of ginger constitutes about 50 per cent of the total world’s production. Ginger is an erect, herbaceous , perennial, flowering plant, the rhizome of which is used as a spice. Ginger is an ancient spice and is a common ingredient in many Asian foods and is used in soups, curries, noodles, stews etc. It is widely used to flavor beverages, such as tea, coffee, lemonades, cocktails etc. In many places across the world ginger is used in sweets, alcoholic beverages, such as ginger beer and wine. Ginger has powerful anti-inflammatory properties. Further it has many other health related benefits, such as ability to help with arthritis, osteoarthritis, relieves nausea and pain, prevents cancer, improves respiratory conditions and reduces flatulence. It also boosts bone health, strengthens the immune system and increases appetite.

1. Genus - Pythium (Type species - Pythium aphanidermatum) ‘Pythium’ is a large genus comprising of more than 200 species. Species of Pythium are either terrestrial or aquatic. They are found world wide and most of them are plant pathogens on many economically important cultivated crops, as well as wild plants. They are facultative saprophytes and can live saprophytically in the soil and plant debris for indefinite periods in the absence of suitable hosts. Pre-emergence and post-emergence damping off of seedlings of numerous angiospermic plants, root rot, rhizome rot and fruit rot are the most common diseases caused by species of Pythium. Pythium debaryanum, Pythium aphanidermatum, Pythium myriotylum, Pythium indicum, Pythium vexans and Pythium graminicolum are some of the most important plant pathogens, that cause damping off, seed decay, soft rots and root rots of many economically important crops, such as chillies, eggplant, tobacco, tomato, castor, potato, ginger etc. Life cycle of Pythium The mycelium of the fungi consists of slender, hyaline, coenocytic hyphae. The hyphae grow both inter- and intra-cellularly. No haustoria are produced.

George N. Agrios (1997). Plant Pathology. Academic Press, San Diego, California. Argunan G., Karthikeyan G., Dinakaran D., Raguchander T. (1999). Diseases of horticultural crops. Department of Plant Pathology, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore. Darwin Chjristdhas Henry L., Lewin Devasahayam H. (2011). Crop Diseases. New India Publishing Agency, Pitam Pura, New Delhi-110 088. Remasri A.P., Srikumar V. Spice India Journal Published by Spices Board. Print Express, Asoka Road, Sulur, Ernakulam.