Turmeric Cultivation and

Processing
(Lecture paper in Hort Major 305. Prepared by: Alfredo F. Calvo, CA, USM;
Ist sem 2012-13)

Introduction

Turmeric (Curcuma longa Linn.) belongs to the family Zingiberaceae and

is also called Indian Saffron. The rhizome has a deep bright yellow colour and
similar in size and form to the ginger rhizome. The plant originated in the Indian
sub-continent and today India is the world’s leading producer and consumer of
turmeric. It is also produced in China, Taiwan, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Sri Lanka,
Australia, Africa, Peru and the West Indies (http://www.appropedia.org/Turmeric).

In India, turmeric is grown in an area of 194,358 hectares with an annual

rhizome production of around 8,92,213 tonnes (Priyenka Devi and Sangamithra,
2012).

Description

Turmeric is an erect perennial herb that grows in hot and humid tropical
climate and is grown as an annual crop for its underground stem or rhizome. The
plant grows up to 60-90 cm high. Its leaves are long, broad, lanceolate and bright
green. The flowers are pale yellow and borne on dense spikes. The pseudostems
are shorter than leaves. The rhizome has a tough brown skin and bright orange
flesh (http://sikkimagrisnet.org). In fresh state, the rootstock has an aromatic and
spicy fragrance.

Turmeric plants and rhizomes.

Production

India is the largest producer, consumer and exporter of Turmeric. India

accounts for about 80% of world turmeric production. It is also the largest

1
consumer and its domestic consumption accounts for nearly 93%-94% of its total
production.

Other producers of turmeric in Asia include Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri

Lanka, Taiwan, China, Myanmar, and Indonesia; while in the Caribbean and Latin
America, the producers are Jamaica, Haiti, Costa Rica, Peru, and Brazil.

Major importers are the Middle East and North African countries, Iran,
Japan and Sri Lanka. These importing countries represent 75% of the turmeric
world trade, and are mostly supplied by the Asian producing countries.

Uses of Turmeric

Turmeric in food preparations. The most common usage of turmeric is

as spice and coloring agent in food in the form of rhizome powder, and in some
regions turmeric leaves are used to wrap and cook food. It is a principal
ingredient in curry powder. It is also used fresh, much like ginger. Another
product, turmeric oleoresin, is used in brine pickles and to some extent in
mayonnaise and relish formulations, non-alcoholic beverages, gelatins, butter
and cheese, etc.
Turmeric as medicine. Turmeric oil can be used to relieve joint and
muscle aches, applied on the skin for treating wounds and dermatosis, as an
insect repellent, for treating various digestive conditions like flatulence,
indigestion and lack of appetite. It is also good for treating liver congestion. The
antibacterial properties of the oil are used for treating infections. It has high
antioxidant properties: it’s ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbent Capacity) is
159,000 (see www.oracvalues.com). When a food is high in antioxidants is eaten,
the body heals itself from any type of diseases.
Turmeric as dye. Turmeric is also used as a dye in textile industry. It
produces a bright yellow/orange color that can be combined with indigo or
safflower to make a wide spectrum of colors. It works best on natural linens
made of cotton, wool or silk. The cloth to be dyed is rinsed in tap water to remove
the debris, the wet cloth is completely submerged in the dye for half an hour and
then the cloth is removed and rinsed thoroughly with cold water and hanged for
drying.

Composition

The major constituents of turmeric rhizomes are curcumin, various

curcuminoids, and curcuma oil. Curcumin is a yellow pigment. Essential oil from
turmeric is about 1.5 and 5.5% of the composition. These essential oils consist of
a 60% of the sesquiterpene lactone turmerone. Turmeric extract is rich in
carbohydrates, especially in starch (45-55%). It also contains arabinogalactans,
potassium salt and resins.

2
Varieties of turmeric

1. Allepey. This is from Kerela, India and has a deep yellow colour with a
high pigment content of 6.5%. This is popular in the USA.
2. Madras. This is from Tamil Nadu, India and has a mustard colour with
a lower pigment content of 3.5%. This is popular in the UK.
3. West Indian. This is from the Caribbean and has a dull yellowish
brown color.

Based on maturity group, turmeric cultivars are classified as short-duration

(7 months), medium-duration (8 months) and long-duration (9months).

Climatic Requirements

Turmeric requires a warm and humid climate. In heavy-rainfall areas, it is

grown as a rain-fed crop and in other areas it is cultivated under irrigation. It
thrives well at temperature range of 20-30°C. Well-distributed rainfall of 1500 mm
or more per annum is good for its cultivation. It can tolerate dry weather
conditions and can successfully be cultivated in partial shade. It is one of the best
cash crops for dry land marginal areas of the Himalayas
(http://sikkimagrisnet.org).

Soil Requirements

Turmeric can be grown from sea level up to 1600m elevation. It can be

grown in diverse soil conditions from light black, loam and red soils to clay loam,
alluvial loam, but rich loamy soils having good drainage is best. Acidic to slightly
alkaline soils are ideal for its cultivation. It cannot stand water stagnation as it
leads to root destruction (http://sikkimagrisnet.org).

Propagation

It is generally propagated vegetatively, using whole or split mother

rhizomes, which should be free from pests and diseases.

Seed treatment. The rhizomes may be dipped in quinalphos (0.075%)

solution for 15 minutes if scale infestations are observed and in mancozeb
(0.3%) to avoid storage losses due to fungi. Treat mature rhizomes with any of
the copper oxychloride fungicides before storage for future use.

Preservation of seed rhizomes. Turmeric rhizomes should be stored

away from light and in a very dry environment. Rhizomes can be stored by
heaping in well ventilated rooms and covered with turmeric leaves or in huge
underground pits called pews. The pits should be covered with wooden planks
with one or two openings for aeration.

3
 Micropropagation. To produce pathogen-free, uniform planting material,
micropropagation is an alternative method for propagation from rhizomes.
Emerging buds from the sprouting rhizomes are used as explants. Shoot
initiation generally starts within 5 days after inoculation on Murashige and
Skoog's (MS) medium containing 1.0 mg BAP [benzyladenine]/litre. Multiple
shoots may be induced on MS medium supplemented with 1.0 mg BAP + 0.25
mg kin [kinetin]/litre. Rooting of 100% may be achieved by transferring an
individual microshoot to MS medium containing 1.0 mg NAA/litre. Plantlets
should be transferred to the greenhouse in pots containing soil with equal
amounts of sand + clay + compost.

Field Preparation and Sowing

The land should be thoroughly plowed (4 times) to bring the soil to a fine
tilth. Raised or flat beds are prepared preferably of 1 metre width and any
convenient length, with a 30 cm space between the beds for drainage channels.
In the case of irrigated crop, ridges and furrows are prepared and the rhizomes
are planted in shallow pits on the top of ridges.

Planting

Mother rhizome may be planted whole or split. Finger rhizomes are also
used, cut into pieces each 4-5 cm long, each having at least one sound bud and
weighs of 25-40 g each.
A close spacing of 25 x 25 cm will need about 2000-2500 kg of rhizomes
per ha. The wider spacing of 40 x 60 cm or 45 x 70 cm may be need 1,500 kg.
The seed pieces may be sprouted under moist straw before planting.

Mulching

Immediately after planting, spread mulch at 1 the rate of kg/m2. It may be

repeated for a second time after the second fertilizer application. It is mainly done
with dry grasses or straw or dry forest leaves or sawrdust or sometimes green
leaves to protect from heavy rains and direct sunshine.

Hilling- up

First hilling-up should be done at 50-60 days after planting and the next
after 45 days to improve drainage and prevent waterlogging.

Nutrient Management

Apply cattle manure or compost as basal dose at 40 t/ha at the time of

land preparation or by spreading over the beds after planting.

4
 Apply N:P2O5:K2O at 30:30:60 kg/ha. Full dose of P2O5 and half dose of
K2O may be applied as basal; 2/3 dose of N may be applied at 30 days after
planting; and 1/3 N and remaining K2O may be applied 60 days after planting.

Irrigation

Higher yield of Turmeric can be attained when grown as an irrigated crop.

Depending upon the weather and soil conditions, about 15 to 20 irrigations are
to be given in clayey soils and 40 irrigations in sandy loams.

Weed Management

Mulching is generally done to protect the crop from weed infestation and
also to conserve soil moisture. Weeding may be done thrice at 60, 120 and 150
days after planting depending upon weed intensity.

Cropping System

Turmeric can be intercropped with sugar cane, chilli, onion, garlic,

elephant’s foot yam, vegetables, pulses, wheat, ragi and maize. It can be grown
as mixed crop with red gram, chilli, colocasia, vegetable, maize and ragi. It can
be rotated with rice, sugar cane, banana, etc. once in 3 or 4 years. In other
areas, turmeric is grown as an intercrop in perennial crops such as mango, jack-
tree, litchi, coconut and arecanut.

Disease Management

1. Leaf spot is caused by Taphrina maculans. The spots appear in great

numbers, thickly covering both sides of the leaves. The attacked leaves
appear reddish-brown instead of normal green. The leaves turn yellow
much sooner than they normally should. The spots are small, usually 1-2
mm in diameter. In severe attacks, the spots are larger, irregular in shape
and coalesced. The attacked plants are not killed but due to reduction in
functional lamina surface, yield is considerably reduced.

Control Measures: a) Use of resistant varieties like Alleppey, b) use of

healthy planting materials, and c) destruction of diseased plant as soon as
noticed in the field, d) spraying of fingicide.

2. Rhizome and Root Rot is caused by Pythium sp. including P. phanidermatum

and P. graminicolum. The leaves of affected plants exhibit gradual drying
along the margins. This ultimately results in complete drying of all the
leaves. The basal portion of the shoot appears watery and soft. The root
system is very much reduced and its tissues are also affected. In
advanced stages, the infection spreads to rhizomes which decompose
and turn into a decaying mass of tissues. The development of rhizomes is

5
 poor. The disease may appear in isolated plants or may involve several
adjacent clumps resulting in appearance of diseased patches in the field.

Control Measures: a) Use of healthy planting materials is the most

important method to control the disease, b) uprooting and burning of
diseased plant as soon as noticed in the field, and c) avoid water-logging
situations.

Insect Pests:

1. Shoot borer - Dichocrocis punctiferali. The shoot borer is the most important
pest of turmeric. Adults are small moths with orange wings with minute black
spots. Fully grown larvae are light brown in colour.

Nature of damage: The larvae bore into the pseudostems and feed on the
growing shoot resulting in yellowing and drying of the infested shoots. The
presence of holes on the pseudostem and the withered central shoot is the
symptom of pest infestation.

Control measures: Destroy the affected shoots. Shoot borers can be also
controlled by spraying 0.05% dimethoate or 0.025% quinalphos. Bio-
control: a) The natural enemies, Hexamermis spp and Apanteles taragammae
have been found to be potential bio-control agents of the pest. B) Commercial
formulations of Bacllus thuringiensis such as Dipel (0.2%) are effective in
controlling the pest when sprayed at 21 days interval during July-October.

2. Leaf roller - Udaspes folus. Adults are medium sized butterflies with brownish
black wings with large white spots. Fully grown larvae are dark green.

Nature of Damage: The larvae of the leaf roller feed in and fold the leaves and
pupate within a thick mass of waxy stuff.

Control Measures: Hand picking of the larvae and pupae is recommended.

Spraying with Dipel (0.2%) (Bacillus thuringiensis product) at 21 days interval.

3. Rhizome scale - Aspidiotus hartii. The adult female scales are minute, circular
and light brown to grey and appear as encrustations on the rhizomes.

Nature of damage: The rhizome scales infest rhizome in the field and in storage.
They feed on the plant sap and in severe cases of infestation, the plants wither
and dry. In storage the pest infestation results in shriveling of buds and rhizomes
and may also affect the sprouting of rhizomes.

Control Measures: Use clean rhizomes for planting. Bio-control: Physcus

comperei and Adelencyrtus moderatus are the predators and effective bio-control
agents of the pest.

4. Leaf Beetle - Lema praeusta, L. signatipennis

6
 Nature of damage: The leaf beetles completely defoliate the plants.
Control Measures: a) Spraying of White oil (Servo Agro Spray) @ 2-5
ml/liter water as soon as the insect is observed in the field.

Harvesting and Yield

Turmeric’s readiness for harvest is indicated by the drying of the plant and
stem. Harvesting is done approximately 7-8 months for early-maturing varieties
and in 8-9 months for late varieties. The rhizome bunches are carefully dug out
manually with a spade, or the soil is first loosened with a small digger, and
clumps are manually lifted. Rhizomes are cleaned from adhering soil by soaking
in water, and long roots as well as leaf scales are removed.
The yields ranges from 17.4 tons to 37.5 tons/ha of fresh rhizomes.

Method of Processing

Washing. Rhizomes after digging out from the soil soaked in water
overnight. They are then taken out of water and separated into mother rhizomes
and daugther rhizomes. They are sprayed with clean water using a power
sprayer at low pressure (Raipur, 2009).

Washed rhizomes.

Boiling. Fingers and mother rhizomes should be separately placed in any

metallic and water is added to a level at 5-7cm above the rhizomes. To preserve
the color, a 0.05 - 0.1% alkali (eg sodium bicarbonate) may be added. The
rhizomes should be boiled for between forty to forty-five minutes. If the rhizomes
are properly cooked, the needle will pass through the rhizome without resistance.
The cooked rhizomes are taken out of the pan and allowed to drip.

Drying. The cooked rhizomes are dried in the sun by spreading them on a
layer on bamboo mats, on drying floor, or in artificial dryer with a temperature of
60°C – 65ºC. Using a mechanical drier will result in a better colour and a higher
quality product. Sun-drying can take anything from 10 to 15 days, depending on
the climate and the size of the rhizome pieces. The final moisture content should

7
be between 8 and 10%. The rhizome is dry enough if the fingers will snap cleanly
with a metallic sound (http://www.appropedia.org/Turmeric).

Polishing. The dried rhizomes are polished to remove the rough surface.
This can be done by shaking the rhizomes in a gunny bag filled with stones or by
using polishing drums, which could be hand-operated or power-driven. The drum
is mounted on a central axis, the sides of which are made of expanded metal
mesh.

Grinding. Grinding involves cutting and crushing the rhizomes into small
particles, then sifting it through a series of screens of different mesh size, to get a
fine powder. Traditionally dried and polished turmeric are cut into pieces and
beaten in mortar and pestle and then milled or ground with hand operated mill.
Hammer mill is also used for grinding big volume of rhizomes. For higher quality
ground turmeric, the grinding temperature should be kept as low as possible.
Powder should be so fine that it passes through 300 micron sieve.

Manual grinder.

Products:

1. Dried whole rhizome. The dried and polished turmeric rhizomes should
have a 9% or less moisture content. The bulk rhizomes are stored in a
cool and dry environment, away from direct sunlight. They are packed in
sacks, wooden boxes or lined corrugated cardboard boxes.

2. Turmeric powder. Ground turmeric should be packaged in moisture

proof, air-tight polyethylene packages. The packets should be stored in a
cardboard box, away from the sunlight to preserve the bright color of
ground turmeric.

8
 Turmeric powder

3. Turmeric oleoresin. This is orange red in colour and is obtained by

solvent extraction of the ground turmeric with organic solvents like
acetone, ethylene dichloride and ethanol for 4-5 hours. Oleoresin yield
ranges from 7.9 to 10.4 per cent. It is a liquid, lump, powder, or paste with
a slight characteristic scent. The solvent is removed by using a vacuum.

4. Turmeric oil. Tumeric oil has a spicy gingery orange perfume and is
slightly green to a yellow color. It is extracted from the fresh or dried
rhizomes using steam distillation process. The temperature of the steam
should not be very high as it can damage the botanical material. The
rhizomes yields 0.3- 7.2 % (usually 4-5 %) of turmeric oil following steam
distillation. The chief constituents of essential oil are turmerone (60%) and
related compounds and zingiberene (25%).

References:

Curcumin or Turmeric. http://garigabrinao.com/health-tips/antioxidants-gari-

recommends/curcumin-or-turmeric

Priyenka Devi, K.S. and A.Sangamithra. 2012. TURMERIC - INDIAN SAFFRON

TURMERIC. http://sikkimagrisnet.org/General/en/Turmeric.aspx Department of

Agriculture. Govt. of Sikkim.

Turmeric (Practical Action Brief). http://www.appropedia.org/Turmeric

TURMERIC (Curcuma longa).

http://www.kissankerala. net/kissan/kissancontents/turmeric.htm

Raipur, A. K. 2009. Turmeric Processing Technology.

http://addykraipur.blogspot.com/2009/04/turmeric-processing-tech.html

Processing of Turmeric - Technical Brief

http://en.howtopedia.org/wiki/How_to_Process_Turmeric