Different variety of turmeric and its yield level

http://www.icexindia.com/profiles/turmeric_profile.pdf

Cultivars of Tamil Nadu

• In Tamil Nadu, two cultivars viz., Erode local and Salem local have been cultivated so far in addition to local cultivar viz., Bhavani.

Erode local

• It is one of the popular cultivars of Tamil Nadu with good market acceptability.
• Plants are vigorous and tall with good yield potential (30-32 t/ha).
• Fingers are short, slightly bent with a deep orange inner core, with a moderate curing percentage.
• curcumin content is 3.9 per cent.

Salem local

• It is another popular cultivar of Tamil Nadu.
• The plants are vigorous and tall.
• Rhizomes are bigger and the fingers are longer than in Erode local (4 cm)
• Its yield potential is comparable with Erode local but rich in curcumin content (4.75 per cent) and moderate in curing percentage.

Turmeric varieties released from TNAU

• Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) has released so far three turmeric varieties viz., CO 1, BSR1 and BSR 2 suitable for cultivation in Tamil Nadu.

Other varieties grown in Tamilnadu

• Roma, Swarna, Sudarshana, Suguna, Sugandham, Ranga, Rashmi, Rajendra Sonia, Krishna, Suroma & Allepy finger Turmeric (AFT), IISR Prabha, IISR Prathiba, IISR Alleppey Supreme and IISR Kedaram.

CO 1

• It is a vegetative mutant from Erode local turmeric, released in 1983.
• Rhizomes are bigger sized and bright orange coloured and better than Erode local
• Plants are robust, vigorous and taller (40 to 60 cm) with more leaves (25 to 32) and tiller production (3.7 to 5.0)
• Suitable for drought and saline soils.

BSR 1

• It is a selection from mutant population irradiated with X-ray (from Erode local) released in 1986.
• Rhizomes are attractive with yellow fingers and closer internodes
• Rhizomes contain higher curcumin content (4.2%) than CO 1 and Erode local
• Suitable for water logged conditions

BSR 2

• It is a mutant from Erode local type released in 1994.
• The crop yields 32 t/ha in a shorter crop duration of 240-250 days
• The plants are medium statured (85 cm), high yielding and resistant to scale insects.
• It is suitable for Erode, Coimbatore, Salem, Dharmapuri, Trichy, Thanjavur, Vellore, Villupuram, Thiruvannamalai and Cuddalore districts.

• A friable well drained red loamy soil in wet or garden lands under tropical conditions with a pH range of 4.5-7.5 with good organic status is ideal.
• Turmeric can be grown in diverse tropical conditions from sea level to 1500 m above sea level, at a temperature range of 20-35oC with an annual rainfall of 1500 mm or more, under rain fed or irrigated conditions.

• Planting season varies with the area of cultivation and variety
• Planting is done during May-June or July- August in different tracts.
• In Kerala and other West Coast areas where rainfall is sufficiently early, the crop can be planted during April-May with the receipt of pre-monsoon showers.
• In Andra Pradesh short duration varieties like Kasturi, planting is done during second fortnight of May, Medium duration varieties like Kesari planting is done during 1st fortnight of June.
• Long duration varieties like Mydukur, planting is in 2nd fortnight of June to 2nd fortnight of July.
• May-June is suitable in Tamil Nadu conditions.

• The land is ploughed once with cultivated plough and then with disc plough. For a hectare 12 tonnes of farm yard manure and 120 kg of neem cake is incorporated in the soil.

• Mother rhizomes are better yielders than finger rhizomes. Good quality disease and pest free rhizomes of previous crop preserved for next sowing or Salem local or Andra types used for planting.

Seed materials

• It is necessary to store the seed rhizomes for 2-3 months from harvesting to planting.
• This may be done by spreading them thinly under a cover of turmeric leaves or storing them by treating the rhizomes with 0.3 percent Dithane M-45 and 0.5 percent Malathion for 30 minutes before storing heaps under a layer of straw and soil.
• Well-developed, healthy and disease free rhizomes are selected
• Whole or split mother rhizomes weighing 35 to 44 g are used for planting

Seed rate

Seed Treatment

Rhizomes dipped in Emison -6 (Methoxy ethyl mercuric chloride) solution or chlorpyriphos before planting to prevent rhizome rot and scale insects respectively. - Some of the farmers follow  dipping the rhizomes in 0.1% Carbendazim 1g/l, and Monocrotophos 1.5 ml /l to control rhizome rot and scales.

• Planting is done by dibbling rhizome in furrows behind the country plough.
• The seeds are then covered with loose soil from the ridge.
• In Andhra Pradesh the broad ridge method of planting is superior and more profitable than the ridge and furrow method, as the elevated beds provide better drainage.
• The crop can be planted on flat beds or on ridges, on large scale potato planter can be used for turmeric planting.
• Emergence of seedlings takes place 2-4 weeks after sowing.

Single row system of planting: 45cm between rows and 15cm among plants and 4cm depth, followed in single row system of planting.

Broad ridge system or paired row system : Under drip system of irrigation the farmers follow broad ridge system of planting in which 120 cm broad ridge formed and 2 rows of rhizomes planted at a spacing of 15 x 45 x 45 x 15 cm and 4 cm depth.

Black heavy soils	45-60 cm X 22.5 cm
Red loamy soils	30 X 15 cm
Orissa	22.5 X 22.5

• Incorporate FYM 10 t/ha neem or groundnut cake - 200 kg/ha along with N, P and K at 25, 60 and 18 kg/ha; 30 kg/ha of Fe SO4 and 15 kg ZnSO4. Apply 10 kg/ha each of Azospirillum and Phosphobacterium one month after planting.

• N, K at 25 and 18 kg/ha applied on 30, 60, 90, 120 and 150 days after planting.

• The field should be irrigated at least 1-1.5 hours daily. From the date of sowing to till harvest the fertilizers at the rate of 150-15-108 as N-P-K applied at weekly intervals.

• For correcting deficiency of micronutrients especially Boron, Iron and Zinc at rhizome development stage, apply 375 g Ferrous sulphate, 375 g Zinc sulphate, 375 g Borax, 375 g of Urea in 250 lit of water/ha. Spraying twice at 25 days interval is recommended.  The above micronutrients are dissolved in Super phosphate slurry (15 kg Super Phosphate is dissolved in 25 lit of water stored overnight and the supernatant solution is made upto 250 lit).  In this solution, the micronutrients are added.

Ferrous Sulphate	:	375 g
Zinc Sulphate	:	375 g
Borax	:	375 g
Urea	:	375 g

Systems Of Cultivation

Two systems of cultivation are followed in different areas

1. Bed system (Raised or flat)
2. Ridge and furrow


• The system of cultivation is dependent upon the intensity of rains and type of soil.
• Bed system gives higher yields of 54-80%.

Bed system (Raised or flat)

• Beds of 1m width and of conveinent length are prepared with a spacing of 0-50 cm between beds. In heavy rainfall areas and for heavy soils the beds are raised (15 cm)

Ridge and furrow method

• Where natural drainage does not exist ridges of 23 cm height and furrows at a spacing of 45-60 cm are prepared.
• In Andhra Pradesh both the methods are adopted . In Duggirala and surrounding areas ridge and furrow method is followed.

Onion, Coriander and Fenugreek can be planted as intercrop on the sides of the ridges 10 cm apart (250 kg seed Onion/ha). Redgram and Castor can also be planted at wider spacing. Weeding can be done as and when necessary. The plants are earthed up at the time of 2nd and 4th top dressings.
Some of them follow maize as inter crop at the spacing of 45 x 10 cm .  Chilli also planted in some of the fields as inter crop.  For shade regulation, Sesbania species is sown. 

• Turmeric can be grown as an intercrop in coconut plantations.
• In wetlands, it is grown in rotation with Rice, Sugarcane, Banana or Vegetables.
• In garden lands, it is often in rotation with rainfed rice mixed with Pigionpea, Maize, yam or minor millets.
• Turmeric can be rotated with crops such as Finger millet, Rice and Sugarcane.
• It is rarely cultivated in pure stand, but is usually grown mixed with crops like Castor, Maize, Finger millet, Onions, Brinjal and Tomato.
• Turmeric+Onion combination recorded an average yield of 16 to 20 tonnes of turmeric and 2,945 kilograms of onion, fetching the highest net income against net income obtained from monocropping of Turmeric.
• This highly profitable finding should be seriously taken note of and implemented by progressive turmeric growers.

PESTS