Indian Farming 73 (04): 39-41; April 2023

Organic cultivation of turmeric by

Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) in Bundelkhand region
Guru Dayal*, Satyavir Singh and Ekanshu Pahade
Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Bundelkhand University, Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh 284 128

The major aim of the turmeric cultivation is due to its properties such as antibiotic, antioxidant,
anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antitumor, cepto-protective (to protect the liver), cardio-
protective (to protect the heart) etc. which proves as very useful for curing various diseases.
Turmeric powder is used as spices since a very long time. The essential component present in
turmeric is known as curcumin which has many medicinal properties. It also has some amount of
essential oils, which is volatile in nature. This crop is very useful and the beneficiary results can
be brought by following the scientific methods of cultivation, such as good agricultural practices
(GAP). This crop has been proven very useful for the farmers continuing their agriculture practices
in a barren land. Also the farmer’s can produce quite a good income by the cultivation of this crop.

Keywords: Field trial, Good agricultural practices, Post-harvest practices, Varietal study of turmeric

T URMERIC (Curcuma longa

L.) is an important spice crop
along with some medicinal benefits
having enough humus content. To
obtain high yield of turmeric, the
rhizome formation must be of high
Improved varieties
• Rajendra Sonia: This variety
was released by Dr Rajendra
and many more points that benefits quality and can be achieved easily Prasad at Central Agricultural
farmer’s. The compound that in a soil having pulverized tilth University, Samastipur, Bihar.
is responsible for the medicinal (Table 1). This variety has a duration of
purposes is curcuminoids. This crop Table 1. Required fertility status of organic about 225 days. It yields about 42
generally originates from Tropical research farm tonnes/ha with 8.4% curcumin
South Asia. Every house in India content and 5% essential oil
Property Result
uses it as a major condiment in content.
cooking. Its colour is obtained from pH 7.45 • IISR-Pratibha: This variety has a
quercetin, which used for colouring Electrical conductivity 0.246 ds/m crop duration of 188 days. This
food stuff. The yellow dye obtained Organic carbon content (%) 1.35% crop gives a mean yield of about
is also used for colouring other Organic matter content (%) 2.32% 39.1 tonnes/ha along with 6.5%
fabrics, papers, etc. GAP is a practice curcumin content, 6.2% essential
Bulk density 1.13 gm/cm3
involving some codes, standards oil content and 16.2% oleoresin
Particle density 2.28 gm/cm3
and regulations which are followed content. This variety has some
during cultivation techniques of Porosity 48.8% special characteristics such as;
crop. The goal of this practice is to Available nitrogen (kg/ha) 190.6 kg/ha reddish yellow colour of the
provide good quality of products to Available phosphorus (kg/ha) 9.72 kg/ha core of rhizome, with plump
the consumers and a good income to Available potassium (kg/ha) 259 kg/ha and bold size of the rhizome.
the farmers. The species of turmeric • Bundelkhand Moti Haldi: This
is found easily in Indian soil, hence Land preparation: The minimum variety matures in about 260–
India is a leading producer and tillage operation results good for 270 days. It is generally grown
exporter of turmeric among other this crop. In case of irrigated crop in Bundelkhand region to
countries in the world. system, the ridges and furrows are maintain the economical aspects
prepared for the turmeric cultivation of farmer and known as cash
Cultivation practices and crop is sown on the ridges with crop of Bundelkhand region.
Soil properties: This crop can be shallow pits and the proper spacing • Megha Turmeric: It generally
cultivated on a sandy soil having a is provided. Soil solarization is also takes 300–315 days for maturity
good drainage facility or loamy soil used. with an average yield of

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Indian Farming
April 2023
 provided. In case of sandy soil,
this irrigation practice raises to
35–40 times, during the whole crop
duration.
Weed management: As stated in
some studies, the weeding must be
done thrice at 60, 90 and 120 DAS.
Use of weedicides in this crop
can reduce the quality of rhizome
production, so for the good and
healthy rhizome production the
Land preparation Mulching
weedicide use is restricted.
27 tonnes/ha. This variety used. Initially, FYM (farm yard
contributes around 6.8% manure) is applied @30–40 tonnes/ha Insect and pest management
curcumin content and 5.5% of by the method of broadcasting. Alike every crop, this crop also
essential oil content. Ploughing is done to mix the suffers the attack of insects, pests
• IISR-Pragati: This is a short FYM with the soil. Generally, the which reduces the growth and the
duration variety as it can be recommended dose of fertilizer quality of production. Some of the
harvested in 180–200 days after states that 60 kg/ha N, 50 kg/ha P2O5 insects and their management is
sowing. This gives a yield of and 120 kg/ha K2O should be applied given as:
about 40–50 tonnes/ha with to the field to ensure the availability • Termite: This insect grows
curcumin content of 5.02% and of nutrients to the soil. The NPK is rapidly in moisture presence
2.4% of essential oil content. supplied in split doses such as, the and attacks the plant root first
This variety is generally found FYM and P2O5 are applied as basal and makes it hollow by entering
resistant to root-knot disease. doses at the time of planting and inside, and make the plant wilt.
• Lakadong: This variety is nitrogen and potassium is supplied The way to manage this insect
harvested after 240–300 days in split doses at an interval of 45 is by destroying the bore of
of life span. It gives a yield of days each. The dose of potassium termite in the soil by turning
about 5–7.5 tonnes/ha with is required high because it helps in the soil timely, and use of neem-
6–9% curcumin content and root growth. cake is also useful.
5–6% essential oil content. This Mulching: The process of covering • Thrips: The turmeric thrips
variety can be identified by the the soil by some by-products (Panchaetothrips indicus) attacks
bright yellow colour of rhizome obtained from agriculture or the plant and make the leaves of
core which gives a characteristic polythene sheets of certain thickness plant rolls. The leaves gradually
colour to the spice. generates many profits such as: turn to pale yellow and the plant
Planting time: The suitable • It provides protection to the soil dries. This insect attacks mostly
planting time for this crop is the pre- moisture and nutrient loss from during the post monsoon
monsoon, i.e., during the months of evaporation. season.
June and July. • It creates an atmosphere inside • Nematode Pests: This crop
Planting material and the mulch that reduces the is majorly attacked by the
plantation: The planting material growth of weeds. nematode pests such as, Root
used is termed as rhizome. The • It helps in controlling some knot nematode (Meloidogyne
mother/finger rhizome is used for insect pests by creating the spp.) and the burrowing type
the purpose of sowing. Things that temperature that is not favorable nematodes (Radopholus similis).
are considered during the selection for insects. The best way to control the
of rhizomes are: Irrigation: Generally, depending population multiplication of
• The rhizome must be healthy upon the weather and soil texture, nematodes and to reduce the
and free from any kind of about 15–25 times irrigation is damage is by increasing the
infection.
• The rhizome must be well
developed.
The spacing is maintained about
15–20 cm x 30–45 cm. Sowing is
done in beds prepared with a height
of 15 cm and a width of around 1 m
and the spacing between the beds is
maintained at about 50 cm.
Manure and fertilizer: For
nutrition supply, both of the ways,
i.e. organic and inorganic can be IISR Pragati (60 DAS) PUSA Rajendra sonia (60 DAS)

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Indian Farming
April 2023
 Megha (90 DAS) Bundelkhand Moti Haldi
organic content in the soil by Post-harvest management of propagating purpose, as the colour of the
the application of FYM or VC material rhizomes affect the sale of products,
(vermicompost). The rhizomes obtained by mature so some amount of turmeric powder
harvesting include mother rhizome, after mixing with little water is
Disease management seed rhizome and the economical sprinkled over the rhizomes after
• Leaf blotch: This disease is yield. The seedling rhizome can polishing.
caused by Taphrina maculans. In be stored in a ventilated room by Yield: The average yield of
this disease the appearance of making heaps and covering the heap turmeric is about 8–10 tonnes/
small oval, round, rectangular or with turmeric leaves. Pits can also be ha. In some cases, if the climatic
irregular brown spots on either used to store seedling rhizome with factors supports then the resulting
side of leaves occurs. Later the sawdust and sand. Later covered yield becomes around 12 tonnes/ha
spots get yellow in colour and the pits with wooden plank and it (Table 2).
gradually turns brown resulting should have some small holes in
in the yield decrease. it to pass air and maintain proper SUMMARY
• Rhizome rot: This disease is ventilation. The Processing practices Curcumin percentage is a very
caused by Pythium graminicolum. being followed for increasing the important factor from the point of
In this disease the collar region quality and shelf-life of production, view of the use of rhizome in spices
of the pseudo stem is affected such as: and medicine. The cured turmeric has
and becomes soft and water given medium curcumin yield after
Drying: In the day time the
gets soaked which results in curing practices. This whole article is
rhizomes are dried under the sun
the plant lodging. This can based on varietal experiments of the
by spreading them over a 5–7 cm
be controlled by treating the turmeric in the Bundelkhand region
thick layer of bamboo mat. While
seedling rhizome with suitable in the barren land for spreading the
in the night, the rhizomes are
chemicals or treatments. idea of turmeric as cash crop for
covered with an aerated heaping
doubling the farmer’s income which
or covering material. It takes about
Harvesting was observed to be significantly
The method to harvest this crop 10–15 days for the rhizomes to be
enhanced in previous years by
is to dig out the rhizomes with completely dry. Artificial drying is
various factorial observations. The
the help of sickle (kudaal), or the very helpful in the sliced turmeric, input used for cultivation was from
land is lightly ploughed and then at a temperature of 60oC in the cross the farm resources and the organic
the rhizomes are hand-picked and flow of hot air. cultivation technique was followed.
washed properly. Generally the Polishing: The outer surface The output obtained by following
harvesting time is around the month of rhizomes is covered with dust the organic cultivation practice is
of February–March. The harvesting or root bits, these materials are quite promising.
varies according to varieties such as, removed by polishing the rhizomes
early variety matures in 7–8 months, with the help of abrasion by manual
mid varieties matures in 8–9 months or mechanical rubbing.
*Corresponding author’s e-mail:
and late varieties matures after 9 Colouring: This process is [email protected]
months. generally adopted for the marketing

Table 2. Performance of growth and yield parameters of turmeric crop

Variety Plant No. of Leaf Leaf Tiller/ Primary Secondary Mother Fresh rhizome
height leave length width plant rhizome rhizome rhizome yield (kg/ha)
(cm) (cm) (cm)
Rajendra Sonia 144.47 12.22 88.66 17.40 4.67 6.28 14.77 3.42 320.57
Bundelkhand Motihaldi 145.93 13.88 89.96 17.86 4.87 8.42 15.91 3.27 321.07
IISR-Pragati 119.97 11.57 78.91 16.03 4.36 6.87 16.94 2.68 282.6
Megha 111.28 8.91 76.02 15.04 4.2 6.34 14.08 2.78 249.12
IISR-Pratibha 107.93 7.95 72.03 15.2 4.62 7.0 15.45 2.60 262.24

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Indian Farming
April 2023