Spices and Condiments (1+1)

Cultivation land preparation and planting

Cultivation

Propagation

• Turmeric is generally propagated by using whole or split mother rhizomes.
  
• The synseed technology as well as micro-propagation protocols for rapid multiplication have been developed for turmeric.
Land preparation

• The land should be ploughed five to seven times thoroughly to a depth of 22-25 cm, followed by two to three plantings, and all the weeds should be cleared away.
  
• Well-rotten FYM or compost at the rate of 40 t/ha should be mixed in the soil.
  
• After land preparation is completed, the field is laid out either into beds of 1-1.5 m width, 15- 25 cm height and of convenient length, or by forming ridges and furrows.
Planting

• Healthy and disease-free rhizomes should be stored during the harvest in underground pits.
  
• By the beginning of April, when the seed rhizomes start sprouting, they should be taken out from the pits for planting.
  
• Care should be taken to protect the sprouting buds from mechanical injury.
  
• The planting should coincide with the commencement of the monsoon.
  
• Whole or split mother rhizomes as well as finger rhizomes (25-30 g each) are used as planting material (@) 2.5 t/ha).
  
• The seed rhizomes are treated with 0.3% Dithane M-45 and 0.1% Quinalphos prior to storage and again at the time of sowing to minimise both rhizome-rot as well as rhizome scales.
  
• The recommended spacings are 30 x 25 cm for the beds. In case of ridges and furrows, the ridges should be 45-60 cm apart and the rhizomes are planted at 25 cm along the side of the ridges.