With about 263 hectares of land devoted to growing ginger (mostly in Taimali and Beinan Townships), Taitung is one of the main production regions in Taiwan for this crop. The wind and rain brought by Typhoon Nepartak caused damage to about 68 of these hectares, 50 of them being located in Taimali. In an effort to aid affected growers, the TTDARES provided them with recultivation techniques.

A service team from the TTDARES surveyed the land and found that the strong winds of the typhoon caused leaves to break, yellow, and wither. Growers have been encouraged to clean up their fields as soon as possible, removing broken and fallen leaves. If soil has run off or if the bases of plants have become exposed, growers may save the plants by applying a suitable amount of liquid nitrogen fertilizer to the leaf surface (refer to product instructions for dilution ratio), and before there is further growth, it should be fertilized again. In addition, since ginger is weak and apt to become infected with soft rot during July and August due to high temperatures and frequent rain, growers may consult plant protection manuals on the use of etridiazole, which is effective at preventing further damage from soft rot. Growers may consult product instructions for the dilution ratios of liquid/powder etridiazole. Three liters of the diluted agent should be used on each square meter of affected land and the surrounding land. Unaffected areas may be sprayed until there is an even layer of moisture on the soil to prevent spread. After using the agent, growers must be aware of when it is safe to harvest to avoid problems with agent residue.

Ginger is an important rhizome crop in Taitung, and the place where Nepartak first hit land happened to be the main ginger production region of Taimali Township, all in all damaging about 60% of crops county-wide. For any related questions, growers are welcome to contact the TTDARES Horticulture Lab at 633@mail.ttdares.gov.tw.