[Effects of soil water stress and shading on growth characteristics of ginger]

Water stress decreased the chlorophyll contents, stomatic density, and stomatic size of ginger leaves, and reduced the root activity and magnitude of bleeding sap of ginger roots. Under the same water contents, shading increased the root activity and the chlorophyll contents and stomatic size of upper cuticulae of ginger leaves, but decreased the stomatic density and size of their lower cuticulae. Water stress influenced the growth and yield of ginger significantly, but the effects of light intensity on ginger growth and yield were different under different water contents. Under normal water content, ginger grew better and yield was higher in natural sunlight, while under water stress, ginger grew better and yield was higher in shading.