Description Turmeric is the boiled, dried, cleaned
and polished rhizomes of Curcuma longa. The
plant is a herbaceous perennial, 60-90 cm
high, with a short stem and tufted leaf.
There are 7 to 12 leaves, the leaf sheaths
forms the pseudo stem. The lamina is green
above and pale green below and has a length
of 30-40 cm and width 8-12 cm. Inflorescence
is a central spike of 10-15 cm length. 1-4
flowers are born in axil of the bract opening
one at a time. About 30 flowers are produced
in a spike. Seeds are produced in capsules
and there will be one to numerous sunken
capsules in an inflorescence.
Origin and Distribution It is a native of India. Apart from
India, it is cultivated in Pakistan, Malaysia,
Myanmar, Vietnam, Thailand, Philippines,
Japan, Korea, China, Sri Lanka, Nepal, East
& West Africa, South Pacific Islands,
Malagasy, Caribbean Islands and Central
America. In India, it is cultivated in the
States of Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Orissa,
Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala.
Turmeric is a tropical crop cultivated
from sea level to 1200 meter MSL. It grows
in light black, black clayey loams and
red soils in irrigated and rainfed conditions.
The crop cannot stand water logging or
alkalinity.
Uses Turmeric is used to flavour and to
colour foodstuffs. It is a principal ingredient
in curry powder. Turmeric oleoresin is used
in brine pickles and to some extent in mayonnaise
and relish formulations, non-alcoholic beverages,
gelatins, butter and cheese etc. The colour
curcumin extracted from turmeric is used
as a colourant.
Turmeric is also used as
a dye in textile industry. It is used
in the preparation of medicinal oils,
ointments and poultice. It is stomachic,
carminative, tonic, blood purifier and
an antiseptic. It is used in cosmetics.
The aqueous extracts has biopesticidal
properties.
