Ginger is not a typical crop grown in Illinois, but Western Illinois University Professor Dr. Shelby Henning and University of Illinois Extension Horticulture Educator Chris Enroth are currently researching how the crop could be the solution to a plant disease problem farmers face while growing tomatoes in hoop houses:
“Ginger is a spice that is typically grown in India and then shipped to China and then from China that is where we import it from. So, we are wondering if there is a way to grow this more locally because ginger is actually kind of a common spice that we use in a lot of our cooking and cuisines; everything from ginger bread, ginger ale, ginger cookies, stir-fry; so a lot of different cuisines from all over the world that uses ginger. We are looking at how we can produce something like this locally and provide a different stream of income for specialty crop producers.”
Enroth and Henning have spent several years researching ginger. This summer, they will be exploring alternatives to growing in high tunnels at six test sites in Central Illinois.
**Written by WMOI/WRAM Director of Communications Kelsey Crain**
