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Lakadong turmeric — Meghalaya GI high-curcumin Photo: placeholder pending image-fill pass

Lakadong turmeric — Meghalaya GI high-curcumin

Lakadong is a traditional turmeric (Curcuma longa) cultivar grown in the Jaintia Hills of Meghalaya, particularly around the village of Lakadong in West Jaintia Hills district. The cultivar is known internationally for its exceptionally high curcumin content (commonly reported in the range of 6.8-7.5%) — roughly two to three times the curcumin level of typical mainland Indian cultivars — and was granted Geographical Indication (GI) registration as "Lakadong Turmeric" under the Spices Board India initiative.

Key characteristics

  • Type: traditional regional cultivar, Curcuma longa
  • Origin: Lakadong area, West Jaintia Hills, Meghalaya (Jaintia Hills agro-climatic zone)
  • Curcumin: ~6.8-7.5% (among the highest reported for C. longa)
  • Essential oil: ~3-4%
  • Duration: 240-260 days
  • Rhizome: bold, dark orange-red flesh, characteristic strong colour
  • Dry recovery: ~22-25%
  • Yield: traditional jhum-cultivated 4-6 t/ha fresh; 12-15 t/ha fresh under improved package
  • GI status: registered under Spices Board GI initiative for Meghalaya origin

Cultivation

Lakadong is cultivated at 800-1,500 m elevation on the well-drained, acidic (pH 4.5-5.5), iron-rich red lateritic soils of the Jaintia Hills, traditionally under jhum (shifting cultivation) and increasingly under settled organic plots. Seed rate is about 1,500-2,000 kg/ha of mother and finger rhizomes (20-25 g, two viable buds), planted on 30-45 cm wide ridges in April-May with the pre-monsoon showers. Mulching with bamboo leaf or local biomass is universal. Most plantings are rainfed; curcumin level is highest under deep, friable, organic-matter-rich soil and adequate (but not excessive) monsoon rainfall.

Post-harvest

Harvest is in December-February when the foliage dries down. Mother and finger rhizomes are cleaned, boiled for 45-60 minutes until soft, sun-dried for 10-15 days on bamboo mats and polished. Fresh-to-dry ratio is approximately 4:1 to 5:1. The high curcumin is preserved when curing is done within 2-3 days of harvest and drying is on shaded racks rather than open sun for the first three days.

Pest and disease profile

Lakadong is moderately susceptible to rhizome rot (Pythium) and leaf blotch (Taphrina maculans); see Ginger Soft Rot Pythium for the analogous oomycete pathology. Shoot borer (Conogethes punctiferalis) is the principal pest. The traditional rotation in jhum systems has historically kept rhizome rot pressure low.

Adoption and use

Lakadong turmeric is the basis of Meghalaya's "Mission Lakadong" launched by the state government in 2019 with the goal of substantially expanding cultivated area and protecting the GI. Lakadong dry rhizome and powder command a premium in the curcumin-extraction and nutraceutical trade, where curcumin recovery is the principal price driver.

See also: Turmeric Crop, Turmeric Bsr 2 Erode Tnau, Ginger Crop, Ginger Soft Rot Pythium.

References

  1. Lakadong turmeric - ICAR-NEH Region Umiam. https://kiran.nic.in/lakadong-turmeric/
  2. Lakadong turmeric GI - Spices Board India. https://www.indianspices.com/spice-catalog/turmeric