Senkaampu (Senkambu)
A well-known Tamil Nadu regional type valued commercially for high leaf-oil content and good aroma, propagated from its own seed like most local curry leaf stands rather than as a protected clone.
Quick facts
- Type
- Open-pollinated
- Season
- All seasons
- Starts bearing
- Perennial; continuous leaf harvest once established
- Expected yield
- No variety figure published; known in Tamil Nadu for aroma
- Suitable soil
- Well-drained sandy loam to loam; does not tolerate waterlogging
- Disease resistance
- Not specifically documented
- Release
- Regional Tamil Nadu landrace — not a formally released university variety
Actual yield depends on sowing time, soil, irrigation, weather, seed quality and crop management.
About this variety
Senkaampu (also Senkambu, and Sen Kaampa on the TNAU page) is a local curry leaf (Murraya koenigii) type grown in many parts of Tamil Nadu. The IIHR review of curry leaf in India says it is very popular there for its good aroma and high oil content. It is not a university release. TNAU lists it beside the two Dharwad releases, and it gives no measured oil, no leaf yield and no release record, so the aroma claim rests on reputation. It is raised from seed like most local curry leaf. TNAU says fruits are ready in July and August, the seed should be pulped within 3 to 4 days, and 1-year-old seedlings go to the field. Because a seedling is not a clone, plants vary a little from one to the next. Buy seedlings from a bush you have seen, from a Tamil Nadu nursery or a farmer already growing it, because the name is not protected.
Should you pick this variety?
Choose Senkaampu if you farm in Tamil Nadu and buyers there ask for the local smell and taste. The IIHR review calls it very popular for good aroma and high oil content, but gives no measured oil figure, so the claim is reputation, not data. Choose Suvasini instead if you want a named university release with a documented trial. Because Senkaampu is a landrace raised from seed, no two plants are exactly alike. See the mother bush, rub a leaf and smell it, and buy from that bush's seedlings.
Sowing & cultivation
- Sowing timeFruits ripen in July and August; pulp the seed within 3 to 4 days and sow in beds or polybags (TNAU)
- SpacingTNAU: 1.2 to 1.5 m between plants, one plant to a pit (India Agronet gives 90 to 120 cm)
- Sowing methodPits of 30 x 30 x 30 cm dug 1 to 2 months before planting; TNAU plants one 1-year-old plant in the centre of each pit
- IrrigationWater straight after planting, again on day 3, then once a week (TNAU)
- FertilizerWell-rotted farmyard manure at 20 t a hectare before the last ploughing, then 20 kg a plant after each harvest, mixed into the soil (TNAU)
- HarvestingFirst picking 10 to 12 months after planting. Nip the tip at 1 m and keep 5 to 6 branches a bush (TNAU)
Soil & climate
Soil
- Suitable soil
- Red sandy loam with good drainage (TNAU)
Climate
- Temperature
- Optimum 26-37°C (TNAU)
Pest & disease considerations
Major diseases
Major pests
Advantages & considerations
Why farmers may choose it
- A local type with a name among Tamil Nadu buyers and nurseries, in place of an unnamed seedling.
- Propagated from ordinary fresh seed like most curry leaf, without needing root suckers or cuttings to establish a planting.
Things to consider
- Not a university release, and the name is not protected. Check the mother bush yourself before you buy seedlings.
- As an open-pollinated landrace, seedling plants will show somewhat more natural variation than a true university clone like Suvasini.
Suitable regions
A long-established regional landrace grown across Tamil Nadu's curry leaf tracts, not a formally released university variety.
- Tamil Nadu
Buy seedlings from a bush you have seen
Senkaampu has no release record, no registered description and no protected name. That means the plant in a nursery bag is only as good as the bush its seed came from. Ask the nursery to take you to that bush before you pay.
Look for three things. The bush should be healthy, with no leaf spot or collar rot at the base. A leaf crushed between your fingers should smell strong. And the owner should be able to say how long it has been picked and from which source it was started. TNAU says fruits ripen in July and August and seed should be pulped within 3 to 4 days, so ask when the seed was collected. Seed older than that is a poor buy.
Can you keep your own planting material?
This is an open-pollinated variety, so seed from a healthy crop of your own can be sown again. Keep seed only from disease-free plants, dry it properly, store it cool and dry, and bring in fresh certified seed every three to four years so the variety does not drift.
How it compares with other varieties
Every Curry Leaf (Kadi Patta) variety with a page on this site, side by side. The row for this page is highlighted.
| Variety | Best for | Yield | States |
|---|---|---|---|
| DWD-1 | Warm-climate curry leaf tracts of Karnataka where winter stays mild and you can get planting material tagged as DWD-1 by UAS Dharwad | No variety figure published; good aroma, but growth falls off in winter | Karnataka |
| Senkaampu (Senkambu)this page | Tamil Nadu farmers who want the locally trusted, strongly scented type and can see the mother bush before buying plants | No variety figure published; known in Tamil Nadu for aroma | Tamil Nadu |
| Suvasini (DWD-2) | Commercial leaf blocks anywhere in Karnataka-type climates, including places with a cool winter, where you want the Dharwad release that keeps growing in cold weather | 8.00 kg fresh leaf a plant a year with fertiliser, manure and vermiwash at Kittur (Karnataka); 2.92 kg with none | Karnataka |
Tools for this crop
The numbers you need next: how much seed to buy, whether the lot germinates, what the fertilizer bill looks like and what Curry Leaf (Kadi Patta) is selling for.
- Seed Rate CalculatorHow much seed your Curry Leaf (Kadi Patta) plot needs, corrected for the germination of the lot you bought.
- Germination CalculatorTest 100 seeds from the bag before sowing and see whether the lot is fit to sow.
- Seed Variety FinderFilter every Curry Leaf (Kadi Patta) variety on this site by state, season, duration and soil.
- Fertilizer CalculatorTurn the NPK recommendation for Curry Leaf (Kadi Patta) into bags of urea, DAP and MOP for your field size.
- Crop CalendarMonth-by-month sowing, weeding, irrigation and harvest dates for Curry Leaf (Kadi Patta) in your state.
- Crop Profit CalculatorPut your seed, labour and input costs against the yield you expect from this variety.
- Mandi Price CheckerToday's Curry Leaf (Kadi Patta) rate in your nearest mandi, before you fix a price with a trader.
Subsidy and government support
Schemes that help with the cost of Curry Leaf (Kadi Patta) seed or planting material. Rules and the application route are on each scheme page.
Frequently asked questions
Is Senkaampu an official released variety like Suvasini?
No — Senkaampu is a well-regarded regional landrace long grown in Tamil Nadu, valued for its aroma and high leaf-oil content, but it has not gone through a formal university release process the way UAS Dharwad's DWD-1 and Suvasini (DWD-2) have. Source it from a reputable local nursery or grower to get true stock.
Is Senkaampu, Senkambu and Sen Kaampa the same plant?
They look like spellings of one Tamil Nadu type. The TNAU curry leaf page lists it as Sen Kaampa, and the IIHR review writes Senkaampu. Both name it as the Tamil Nadu local variety next to the two Dharwad releases. There is no registered description to check a plant against, so go by the mother bush and the nursery's word.
How do I raise Senkaampu seedlings?
TNAU says the fruits are ready in July and August. Pulp the seed within 3 to 4 days of picking and sow it in nursery beds or polybags. Plant one seedling per pit when it is 1 year old. Fresh seed matters, because curry leaf seed loses the ability to sprout quickly once it dries.
How much leaf will Senkaampu give?
No trial has measured Senkaampu on its own. TNAU's figure for curry leaf is 250 to 400 kg of leaves a hectare in year 1, about 5,400 kg in year 2, and about 20,000 kg a year from year 5. Plan from the low end and weigh your own pickings for the first two years.
What soil and temperature suit Senkaampu in Tamil Nadu?
TNAU names red sandy loam with good drainage and an optimum temperature of 26 to 37°C. Dig pits of 30 x 30 x 30 cm at 1.2 to 1.5 m spacing, 1 to 2 months ahead. Standing water kills curry leaf roots faster than dry weather does, so raise the bed if your field holds water.
Should I grow Senkaampu from seed or buy a cutting?
TNAU's plan for Tamil Nadu is seedlings from fresh seed, so seed is the normal route. The cost is variation: each seedling is slightly different. If you find one bush with the leaf you want, rooted suckers from it will copy that bush more closely than its seed will, though TNAU does not give a sucker method.
Sourced from: Diversity and Distribution of Curry Leaf in India — Journal of Horticultural Sciences (IIHR), TNAU Agritech Portal — Curry leaf, India Agronet — Curry leaf. editorial policy.