KESARI : A Promising Variety of Turmeric for North India

This new variety “Kesari” has also shown promise to successfully grow in partial sodic soil having pH up to 9 and can also be cultivated under the shade of tress in orchards. This variety may prove as an income generation tool to provide supplementary income to the farmers of north India.

CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow has screened out a new variety “Kesari”, which is tolerant to low temperature and frost during winter. In comparison to other existing varieties, there is less problem of yellowing and falling of leaves in this variety during winter, which leads to extending of life period of this variety. “Kesari” has growth period of about 230 to 240 days, as compared to 160 to 180 days of other varieties, which directly reflects to higher fresh rhizome yield of high quality. The fresh rhizome yield potential of ‘Kesari’ is around 30-35 ton per hectare, as compare to 20-25 ton per hectare of other existing varieties. The total curcuminoid content of “Kesari” is around 1.16 %, which is also more than other existing cultivated varieties of north India.

It is mainly used for its insecticidal and pesticidal properties.

It may be the source of extra income without any additional cost.