India exported 11.02 lakh tonnes of turmeric in the year 2020 – 21. Indian turmeric is said to have high curcumin levels and thus is in high demand. According to ayurveda, high curcumin has a natural cancer-prevention property. According to WebMed “Turmeric is used for arthritis, heartburn (dyspepsia), stomach pain, diarrhea, intestinal gas, stomach bloating, jaundice, liver problems and gallbladder disorders.”
Difficulty Level: Hard
Selection of Seeds
There are various varieties of turmeric that are available in the market. Some of the popular varieties are Amruthapani, Armoor, Duggirala, Tekurpeta, Pattant, Deshi, Moovattupuzha, Wynad, Rajapore, Karhadi, Waigon, Chinnanadan, Perianada, Co 1, BSR 1, Roma, Swarna, Sudarshana, Suguna, Sugandham, BSR 2, Ranga, Rashmi, Rajendra Sonia, Krishna, Suroma, Allepy finger turmeric (AFT), IISR Prabha, IISR Prathiba, IISR Alleppey Supreme and IISR Kedaram.
Turmeric Seed Treatment
Turmeric is propagated through rhizome. The seed rhizomes are cut into small pieces and then dipped in Dimethoate 30% EC 2 ml/lit or Monocrotophos 36 WSC 1.5 ml/lit and 0.3% Copper oxychloride (3 gm/lit water) for 30 minutes. An alternative treatment option is to treat the seeds with Pseudomonas fluorescens 10 g/kg and Trichoderma viride as 4 gm/ Kg.
Land Preparations For Turmeric
The main field is ploughed four times, each time with a chisel and disc plough and twice with a cultivator. This is proceeded by the formation of ridges and furrows at intervals of 45 cm (or) raised beds of 120 cm width are formed with space of 30 cm and the laterals are placed at the center of each bed. Depending upon soil moisture level, the beds are wetted for 8-12 hours through drip irrigation.
During the last ploughing 25 t /ha of FYM, neem or groundnut cake – 200 kg/ha, 25:60:108 kg of NPK per ha; 30 kg of FeSO4 and 15 kg of ZnSO4, 10 kg in each of Azospirillum and Phosphobacteria per hectare to be applied at the time of planting.
Soil Type Requirements
Turmeric grows best in friable well drained red loamy soil under tropical conditions. It can be grown best in regions where there is an annual rainfall of 1500 mm.
Conclusion
Turmeric is a hard crop to grow and requires a lot of tending to. Turmeric, however, is a high-demand crop. There is always a demand and it is a highly exported crop. Turmeric also has a long shelf life period, therefore can be stored for a long time.
FAQs
- What are the popular varieties of Turmeric ?
| States | Varieties |
| Tamil Nadu | CO1, BSR 1, BSR 2, Erode local, Allepey, Salem local |
| Karnataka | Kasturi, Mundaga, Balaga, Yalachaga |
| Andhra Pradesh | Duggirala, Kodur type, Tekurpet, Sugantham, Kasturi, Kesar, Red Guntur, Pragathi |
| Maharashtra | Sangli, Rajapore |
| Telangana | Roma, Suroma, Rajendrasonia, Ranga, Pragathi, Armor |
- What is the recommended dose of fertilizers for turmeric ?
The general dose of fertilizer recommendation for turmeric is 24:20:49 kg/acre. The commercial quantity for field application is listed in the table below:
| Nutrient | Fertilizers | General Dose (per acre) |
| Organic | FYM | 12 – 16 ton |
| Neem/Groundnut cake | 0.8 ton | |
| N | Urea (or) | 27 kg |
| Ammonium Sulphate | 62 kg | |
| P | Di Ammonium Phosphate (DAP) | 63 kg |
| K | Muriate of Potash (MOP) (or) | 82 kg |
| Sulphate of Potash | 98 kg | |
| Zn
(For Zinc deficient soil) |
Zinc Micronutrient Fertilizer (Z3) [For foliar application] | Foliar spray: 0.5 – 1 gm/l
Soil application: 10 kg |
| Fe |
SHAMROCK IRON (FERROUS) CHELATED MICRONUTRIENT FERTILIZER (For Foliar spray) |
Foliar spray: 1 g/litre
Soil application: 10 kg |
- By which method turmeric rhizomes are planted ?
They are planted by formation of ridges and furrows at intervals of 45 cm or raised beds of 120 cm width are formed with space of 30 cm and the laterals are placed at the center of each bed.
(Rhizome – a horizontal plant stem with shoots above and roots below serving as a reproductive structure)
- How to do seed treatment for turmeric ?
The seed rhizomes should be cut into small pieces and dip in Dimethoate 30% EC (TAFGOR insecticide – 2ml/lit) and Copper oxychloride (Blue Copper Fungicide – 3 gm/lit water) for 30 minutes. It can also be treated with Pseudomonas fluorescens (Spot Bio-fungicide 0.5% WP – 10 gm/1 kg seed) and Tricoderma Viride (PIONEER AGRO TRICHODERMA VIRIDE BIO FUNGICIDE – 250 ml/acre),
(Note: Biofungicide and chemical fungicide are incompatible., therefore they should not be mixed together)
- What is the ideal soil type for turmeric cultivation ?
Turmeric will grow best in friable well drained red loamy soil under tropical conditions.
- What is the ideal time to plant turmeric ?
Turmeric can be planted during May-June with the receipt of pre-monsoon showers.
Note: The information contained herein is for informational purposes only. Nothing herein shall be construed to be financial or legal advice. Pesticides are a considerable risk of loss in crops and viewers are advisde to do their own research before making any decisions.
