IISR develops light-coloured turmeric – The Hindu

The new turmeric variety developed by the Indian Institute of Spices Research, Kozhikode.

The Indian Institute of Spices Research (IISR), Kozhikode, has developed a new light-coloured turmeric variety specifically for the masala industry. The new variety, IISR Surya, features a light-coloured rhizome that meets the specific needs of the modern powdering industry.

Developed after focussed research, IISR Surya is expected to significantly benefit farmers specialised in the production of high-quality turmeric powder. Also, it will address the shortage of the product in the open and export market which had been heavily dependent on a few other local varieties, the researchers said. 

The new variety with a pleasant aroma is a high-yielding one which offers a 20% to 30% yield increase compared to that of the existing light-coloured local varieties. According to the researchers who worked behind the new product, it can yield up to 41 tonnes per hectare. The curcumin content ranges from 2% to 3% which was on par with other light-coloured turmeric varieties, they said.

IISR scientists said the new variety came out after a decade-long research with the support of scientists D. Prasath, S. Arathi, N.K. Leela, S. Mukesh Sankar and B. Sasikumar. They said IISR Surya was developed through clonal selection from the accessions maintained in the turmeric germplasm conservatory of the institute. It was recommended for cultivation in Kerala, Telangana, Odisha, Jharkhand and Arunachal Pradesh by the All India Coordinated Research Project on Spices, they added.