1Directorate of Extension, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Jammu, Jammu & Kashmir
Online published on 24 March, 2023.
Turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) is a major spice crop in India in general and north-western (NW) Himalayas in particular where it is grown mostly organic by default using local strains having low productivity. This crop is becoming an alternate crop in monkey-menace areas in NW Himalayas (Mid hills of Jammu region) transferring into gigantic fallow-lands otherwise. There is a dire need to boost turmeric productivity in the region by introducing high yielding turmeric cultivars (HYTCs). Thus, extensive ‘On-farm’ experimentation was done by KVK, Reasi at 6 identified locations in monkey-menace affected villages (Panthal, Dera Baba, Katra, Pouni, Bharakh and Aghar Ballian.) of district Reasi, Jammu and Kashmir as the study area. For this purpose, two newly recommended annually harvested HYTCs (Salem and IISR Pragathi alongwith a widely grown local strain in mid hills of Jammu (as check), were planted alongwith organic manure i.e. FYM @ 20 t ha-1 on oven dry weight basis. Mean data of two years revealed that IISR Pragathi resulted in highest rhizome yield (32.94 t ha1) followed by Salem (32.35 t ha1) compared to ‘Local Cvs’ (12.45 t ha-1). Likewise, IISR Pragathi resulted in highest net returns and net B: C ratio (Rs 416,548 ha-1; 5.38) followed by Salem and Local Cvs, respectively. The curcumin content was higher in ‘Local Cvs’ (5.18%), but the curcumin yield was significantly higher in IISR Pragathi and Salem. The monetary-efficiency indices revealed that organic turmeric cultivation using HYTCs may fetch about 1243-1270 Rs ha-1 day-1 to the Himalayan farmers. Overall, the turmeric rhizome yield was enhanced by about three-folds, profitability by 3-4 folds, resource-use efficiency (RUE) by 2-3 folds in terms of production-and monetary efficiency and partial factor productivity of applied nutrients (NPK) by the adoption of HYTCs coupled with FYM @ 20 t ha-1 over ‘Local Cvs’ Higher technology adoption rate (72-98%) and net income gains (2.3-2.5 folds) in the study area advocated for employing ‘Participatory-mode’ adaptive research methodologies following intensive technology transfer programme in mid hill agro-ecologies. In nutshell, the newly developed HYTCs exhibited great potential in boosting the turmeric productivity, profitability, curcumin yield and RUE vis-a-vis wider adaptability in monkey-menace areas to improve rural livelihoods and make organic turmeric cultivation a promising agri-entrepreneurship in NW Himalayas.
