2017 ASHS Annual Conference

The markets for fresh or dried turmeric (Curcuma longa) is expanding rapidly in the U.S.A. due to its anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties, and its ability to alleviate Alzheimer’s disease. The medicinal properties of turmeric are attributed to the curcumin content of its rhizomes. This is one of the crops many US herbal products manufacturers are seeking for domestically grown raw materials due to the inconsistencies associated with quality and production methods of imported raw materials. However, a lack of robust varieties that combine high rhizome yield with high levels of curcumin, and adapted to the southeastern US, is limiting its commercial production. Fifteen turmeric genotypes belonging to four Curcuma species were grown in replicated field plots using organic production methods and were assessed for their yield and rhizome curcumin and elemental contents with aims to develop an adapted variety with desirable traits for commercial production in the southeastern US. Two to three plants from middle row were harvested from each plot to determine fresh and dry rhizome yields and their curcumin and elemental (Mn, Mg, Zn, Al, Cu, K, Na & P) contents. The rhizomes were washed, weighed, and dried in a forced-air drier at 50°C. The dry rhizome samples were extracted with 70% ethanol and analyzed for curcumin content using HPLC. The elemental content was determined using an Inductively Coupled Plasma Spectrophotometer. The crops planted in early June matured by the end of November. Rhizome fresh and dry yields varied from 8,921 and 1,126 Kg/ha for CL9 to 27,802 and 4,003 Kg/ha for CL7. The average fresh and dry yield across genotypes were 17,177 and 2,337 Kg/ha. The curcumin content varied between 0.01% and 0.03% for C. zadoaria genotypes and 0.3% to 2.3% for C. longa lines. Potassium was the most dominant element and ranged from 7.4 in CAER to 21.72 mg/g in Cl3. Mg was the second dominant element in the genotypes. While copper was present in trace amounts in all of the genotypes, Na was not present in any of the genotypes. Curcuma longa genotypes had consistently higher percentage of curcumin and greater amounts of elements than C. zadoaria and C. amada lines. The results of this study combined with our three-year trials showed that turmeric has the potential for commercial production in Alabama and perhaps the southeastern US. The wide variation for both rhizome yield and curcumin content among these genotypes indicates the potential for variety improvement.