Physical Properties of Ginger Based on Different Varieties
Authors: Babu T. Mahesh , Preman P. S.  
Published: November 2023

Ginger is a plant recently gaining attention in the food and pharmaceutical industries because of its spice and medicinal importance. The measurements of physical properties were conducted at the Food Processing Laboratory, Kelappaji College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology in Tavanur Kerala. The physical and engineering properties of different ginger varieties viz., Athira, Aswathy, Chithra and Karthika were determined to design the hopper and cell sizes, better flowability in the hopper without any clogging in the electronic seed metering unit of a sensor-based tractor drawn ginger planter.  The research looked at some physical properties of ginger (Zingiber officinale) rhizomes such as major, minor, intermediate diameters, geometric mean, sphericity, bulk volume, bulk density, surface area, angle of repose and coefficient of friction which are essential for the design of hopper. The properties were determined using ASAE standards. The average value obtained for ginger rhizomes those are, major diameter, minor diameter, intermediate diameter, geometric mean, sphericity, surface area, bulk density, bulk volume, moisture content and angle of repose of the different varieties of the ginger rhizomes are geometric mean of the athira variety of ginger having major diameter is 69.72 mm (X), intermediate diameter is 20.6 mm (Y), minor diameter is 51.84 mm (Z).  Geometric mean is 40.24 mm, Sphericity is 0.58, Surface area is 5086.5 cm2, Bulk density is 0.43 g/cm3, 24 cm3, Moisture content is 71.1%, and angle of repose is 34.43̊ respectively. The coefficient of friction was obtained three different structural materials, the obtained values are 0.58 on wood, 0.52 on mild steel and 0.48 on stainless steel. Aswathy variety of ginger having major diameter is 88.96 mm, minor diameter is 53.84 mm, intermediate diameter is 20.92 mm, Geometric mean is 44.02 mm, sphericity is 0.50, surface area is 6240.2 cm2, bulk volume is 25 cm3, bulk density is 0.38 g/cm3, moisture content is 74.53 % and angle of repose is 36.87̊ and obtained values of the coefficient of friction was 0.60 on wood, 0.58 on mild steel and 0.50 on stainless steel. Chithra variety of ginger having major diameter is 81.2 mm, minor diameter is 55.32 mm, intermediate diameter is 18.64 mm, geometric mean is 41.88 mm, sphericity is 0.52, surface area is 5571 cm2, bulk density is 0.43 g/cm3, bulk volume is 40 cm3, moisture content is 72.45 % and angle of repose 36.54̊ . The obtained values of the coefficient of friction were 0.54 on wood, 0.51 on mild steel, 0.46 on stainless steel. Karthika variety of ginger having major diameter is 85.08 mm, minor diameter is 49.8 mm, intermediate diameter is 17.2 mm, geometric mean is 38.96 mm, sphericity is 0.48, surface area is 5078 cm2, bulk volume is 20 cm3, bulk density is 0.38 g/cm3, moisture content is 76.01, angle of repose is 38.24̊, and coefficient of friction were 0.59 on wood, 0.53 on stainless steel and 0.45 on stainless steel respectively.

Based on the physical properties of ginger, it was concluded that above mentioned parameters are sufficient to design the hopper and cell sizes are suitable for the mechanical planters or any other sensor-based tractor drawn ginger planters. All the physical properties of ginger based on varieties are measured and showed in this research.