TURMERIC

(CURCUMA LONGA L.)

I. Application and Amplification of General Seed Certification Standards

A  The General Seed Certification Standards are basic and, together with the following specific standards 

     constitute the standards for certification of seed turmeric.

B. The General Standards are amplified as follows to apply specifically to turmeric

     All certified classes shall be produced   by vegetative propagation of underground  rhizome, whose source and identity may be assured and approved by the Certification Agency.

III. Land requirements

* Soil should be loose, friable and offer minimum resistance to rhizome development.  

* Soil depth 30cm or  more, high organic matter of acidic soil

* The crop of seed turmeric shall not be eligible for certification if grown on the land infested with pythium 

   sp.,pseudomonas solanacearum, and  Meloidogyne incognita.

IV. Field Inspection

 A minimum of four  inspections shall be made as follows: 

A. The first  inspection  shall be made at the time of planting   varify isolation, rhizome rot, seed  piece weight 

     and  spacing.

B. The second inspection shall be made about 45 - 50 days after planting to check germination, sprouting,

     rhizome rot and shoot borer incidence.

C. The third inspection shall be made about 120 - 180 days after planting in order to verify off types,    

     shoot borer and rhizome rot..

D. The fourth inspection shall be made before harvest of or between 240-250 days after planting to verify    

     rhizome rot, scale insect and meal bug infestation.

V. Field Standards

A. General requirements

1. Isolation

        The fields/blocks of seed turmeric shall be isolated from the contaminants shown in the column 1 of the Table below by the distances specified in columns 2 and 3 of the said Table:

        Contaminants                                                                                   Minimum distance (meters)

                                                                                                                Foundation        Certified

            1                                                                                                         2                     3

Fields of other variety                                                                                     3                       3

Fields of the same variety not conforming to 

varietal purity requirements for certification                                                      3                       3

B. Specific requirements

Factor                                                          Inspection stage                  Foundation            Certified

     1. Spacing                                                         I                               45 x 30 cm          45x30 cm    

     2. Seed piece weight                                         I                                20-25 g               20-25g

     3. Rhizome rot                                                  I                                0                          0

     4 Shoot borer                                                  II to III                      1%                       5%

     5. Off types                                                      III                              0.5%                    1%     

     6. Scale insect                                                   IV                             1%                       5%

     7. Mealy bugs                                                   IV                              1%                       5%

Note:

1. All offtypes and diseased plants should be rogued out along with rhizomes and 

    destroyed.                                                    

2. Gaps in the seed plot should not be more than 10.0%

3. Land should be free from volunteers.

VI. Seed Standards.

Factor                                                                     Foundation                     Certified

1. Appearance                                                    Healthy & plumpy         Healthy&Plumpy 

2. Uniformity (Minimum)                                              95-100%                      85%

3. Dry rot (Maximum)                                                   1%                              5%

4. Scales (Maximum)                                                    1%                               5%

5. Mealy bugs (Maximum)                                             1%                               5%     

Note:

1. In a seed lot.  rhizomes not conforming to specific characteristics of a variety shall not exceed 0.5% and

    and 1% (by number - maximum) for foundation and certified seed classes, respectively.

2. The seed material shall be reasonably clean healthy and firm.

3. Cut, bruished, or those damaged by insects shall not exceed more than 1.0%(by weight).