Turmeric

Soils And Climate

Soil

  • A loose and friable well drained loamy or alluvial soil with good organic matter status in the pH range of 5.0 to 7.5 is optimum for the turmeric crop, though it is grown in various types of soil ranging from Subtropical Dry to Wet through Tropical Dry to Wet Forest Life Zones.
  • The crop can not withstand water logging or alkalinity.
  • Gravelly, stony and coarse or heavy clay soils are unsuitable for the crop because of their interference with the development of rhizomes.
  • Turmeric, being an exhaustive crop, requires heavy manuring for higher yield.
  • The manure and fertilizer requirements vary according to the agroecological situations prevailing in a particular locality.

Top

Climate

  • ITurmeric prefers a warm and humid climate.
  • It needs a well distributed annual rainfall of 2,500-4,000 mm for successful production as a rainfed crop as in West coast
  • It can also be grown as irrigated crop in low rainfall (1,200 to 1,500 mm) area with supplemental irrigation.
  • Cultivated upto 1200m above mean sea level, it needs an optimum temperature of 20-30°C (mean 24.6°C) for normal growth and satisfactory production
  • The wild types are seen at higher elevations.
  • High temperature and low humidity cause slow emergence of the pseudostem and leaves.

Top

Tamilnadu