Traditional Cultivation Practices Of Turmeric In Tribal Belt Of Odisha

Turmeric (Curcuma longa L) is an important cash crop grown by tribal farmers of Odisha for their livelihood. Despite the good agro-climatic condition, the productivity of turmeric in Odisha is much below (2.4 t/ha) as compared to national average (5.1 t/ha). Therefore, the present study was carried out during 2011-12 and 2012 -13 to assess the current status of the traditional practices of turmeric cultivation followed by farmers. Four districts of Odisha namely Nayagarh, Ganjam, Kandhamal and Keonjhar were selected where this crop is grown by the farmers in general and tribals in particular. The sample consisted of 360 farmers including 180 women. It has been observed that a large number of tribal farmers still practice the traditional method of cultivation of turmeric. Turmeric is cultivated in slop with or without terraces and in plains as a sole crop and intercrop. Dughi, Jobedi, Katigia, Local, Lakadong, Ranga, Rasmi and Suroma varieties of turmeric are grown in Odisha. Turmeric is cultivated by the farmers of Odisha for home consumption, seed purpose and for source of income. It has been observed that technological interventions like rhizome treatment, soil application of Trichoderma (bio-control agent) in well rotten cow dung, wood ash, crop rotation, mulching, plant protection measures increased rhizomes yield by tune of 20- 30% at farmers field