Turmeric (Curcuma longa Linn.) belongs to family zingiberacae and is a valuable spice and medicinal plant known for its aromatic, anticancer, stimulant, carminative, antiseptic and anthelmintic properties. Conventionally, turmeric is propagated through underground rhizomes. The practice, however, is limited to once in a year because of the dormancy of buds. It is very slow process and only 7-8 plants can be produced from one rhizome in a year. BARC has developed a technology for micropropagation of turmeric which offers a continuous source of numerous uniform size plantlets throughout the year. This protocol will provide disease free good quality planting material throughout the year and will enhance potential productivity of this crop. This technology can also be used in germplasm conservation of elite varieties of turmeric.

 SALIENT FEATURES

• Rapid multiplication of uniform or true type turmeric plants.


• Requirement of limited number of explant.


• Germplasm storage.


• Disease free planting material.

APPLICATIONS

• Agriculture sector.


• Biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies.


• Plant nurseries.

Turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) is an economically important spice and medicinal plant used in pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. It contains curcuminoids, essential oils, and oleoresins which imparts medicinal properties to this crop. As propagation of turmeric is exclusively through rhizomes, the transmittance of diseases takes place through rhizomes from generation to generation and affects productivity and quality. The dormancy of rhizomes delays the cultivation process by nearly two months. The cost of cultivation is also increased as only few plants can be obtained from these rhizomes. Thus, non-availability of good quality planting material, the transmittance of diseases, slow multiplication rate are the major constraints in the improvement of potential productivity of turmeric.

BARC has developed a micropropagationprotocol for Turmericwhich ensures continuous production of numerous disease free, uniform plantlets throughout the year with rapid multiplication rate in small unit area and within limited time. Plantlets produced through this protocol can be hardened and directly transferred to a field, which reduces the cost of maintenance of rhizomes as planting material. The specially devised medium initiates shoot multiplication, elongation and rooting simultaneously, reducing the cost as well as labor. As the protocol does not require frequent subcultures, the chances of somaclonal variations are minimum, thereby ensuring genetic uniformity of the regenerated plantlets. Thus, this protocol will be useful in planning and scheduling of production of turmeric plants based on the market demand.

ADVANTAGES

• Uniform and disease free planting material
• Rapid multiplication of plantlets in short time with minimum requirement of initial material (a few axillary buds)
• Reduction in maintenance cost of rhizomes as a planting material
• Availability of planting material throughout the year
• Better method for germplasm conservation of turmeric

APPLICATIONS

• Agriculture sector
• Biotechnology companies

INFRASTRUCTURE REQUIREMENT

a. Raw Material

• Healthy rhizomes with sprouts.
• Chemicals: MS medium (Murashige andSkoog, 1962) and hormones used in this protocolis available locally.
  

b. Equipments

• Autoclave
• Laminar air-flow unit
• Water distillation unit
• pH meter
• Analytical balance
• Refrigerator
• Standard laboratory glasswares

c. Space

• Standard tissue culture laboratory: A small room of 400 sq. ft. area (20 ft x 20 ft) with routine tissue culture facilities.
• Culture room (100 sqft): clean, air conditioned and well illuminated room to grow the cultures.
  

d. Power

Both single & three phase power connection.

e. Manpower

Two skilled technicians for preparing medium and tissue culture work.