Turmeric

Turmeric
Scientific name: Curcuma longa L.
Local name: ‘Halud’, ‘Haldi’
Taxonomic Position (according to Cronquist, 1981 )
Kingdom : Plantae
Division :Magnoliophyta
Class :Liliopsida
Subclass :Commelinids
Order :Zingiberales
Family : Zingiberacae
Genus : Curcuma
Species :C. longa
Botanical Description of Turmeric
Habit: A perennial herb, leafy rhizomatous
Root: Adventitious root system
Stem:Short, stuffed, modified into underground rhizome.
Leaf: Simple, sessile, composed of leaf sheath and leaf blade, leafsheath forms a pseudostem.
Inflorescence: Spike, appearing with the leaves and central to the leaf tuft.
Flower:Flowers slightly exerted from the bract.
Perianth:Calyx white, corolla tube light yellow.
Androecium:Staminode 2, ligulate.
Gynoecium:Ovary white, stigma bilobed
Fruit:Fruits are usually not formed.
Chromosome number: 2n=32
Economic Importance
Extensively used as spices, and medicinal application. The turmeric contains around 13.1 % water, 6.3% protein, 5.1% fat, 69.4% carbohydrate, ash 3.5% and fiber 2.6%.
Table 2. Turmeric varieties developed by Spices Research Centre, BARI, Joydebpur, Bangladesh
Serial Number | Name of Variety | Developed by | Year of Release | Growing Season | Yield (t/ha) |
1 | BARI Halud-1 | SRC, BARI | 1996 | April-February | 28-32 |
2 | BARI Halud-2 | SRC, BARI | 1996 | April-February | 25-28 |
3 | BARI Halud-3 | SRC, BARI | 2000 | April-February | 25-30 |
4 | BARI Halud-4 | SRC, BARI | 2013 | Mid-April-Mid-February | 28-30 |
5 | BARI Halud-5 | SRC, BARI | 2013 | Mid-April-Mid-February | 18-20 |