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Technical Kisanखेती, तकनीक के साथ
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Elephant Foot Yam (Suran / Jimikand)KharifCorm / corm piece (vegetative)Updated 23 September 2026

Gajendra

The most widely grown suran variety: a smooth, round, low-itch corm with few or no side cormels, so all seed pieces are cut from the main corm.

SeasonKharif
Maturity period180–210 days
Expected yield37 t/ha in recent trials; 50–60 t/ha potential
Suitable soilLoam

Quick facts

Crop
Elephant Foot Yam (Suran / Jimikand)
Type
Corm / corm piece (vegetative)
Season
Kharif
Maturity period
180–210 days
Seed rate
Roughly 8–10 t/ha of 500 g–1 kg corm pieces at 90 × 90 cm (about 35–40 quintals per acre); every piece is cut from the main corm since Gajendra makes few side cormels
Expected yield
37 t/ha in recent trials; 50–60 t/ha potential
Suitable soil
Loam
Release
A local selection from the Kovvur area of Andhra Pradesh, taken up under the national tuber-crops research programme and used as the national check variety

About this variety

Gajendra is the best-known suran (elephant foot yam, Amorphophallus paeoniifolius) variety in India and the national check variety used to compare new lines in trials. It began as a local selection from the Kovvur area of Andhra Pradesh and matures in about 180–210 days — a shorter crop than the Kerala-bred Sree Padma or Sree Athira. The corm is smooth and round, low in itch (non-acrid) and well shaped, and it produces few or no side cormels, which means every seed piece has to be cut from the main corm, so planting material is a big cost. Recent trials recorded about 2.95 kg per plant, roughly 37 t/ha, while published potential is 50–60 t/ha. It is also described as having good shelf life, which suits sale to markets and processors.

Key characteristics

    Plant typeCorm / corm piece (vegetative)
    Maturity180–210 days
    Yield potential37 t/ha in recent trials; 50–60 t/ha potential
    Disease resistanceNo special resistance claimed
    SoilLoam
    SeasonKharif

Sowing & cultivation

  • Sowing timeMarch to May, before the monsoon
  • Seed rateRoughly 8–10 t/ha of 500 g–1 kg corm pieces at 90 × 90 cm (about 35–40 quintals per acre); every piece is cut from the main corm since Gajendra makes few side cormels
  • SpacingPits of 60 × 60 × 45 cm at about 90 × 90 cm
  • Fertilizer25–30 t/ha FYM plus 80:60:100 kg N:P₂O₅:K₂O per hectare in two doses, about 45 and 75 days after planting

Yield & maturity

Maturity period

180–210 days

Expected yield

37 t/ha in recent trials; 50–60 t/ha potential

Actual yield depends on sowing time, soil, irrigation, weather, seed quality and crop management.

Pest & disease considerations

Major diseases

Advantages & considerations

Why farmers may choose it

  • A smooth, round, low-itch (non-acrid) corm that sells easily and cooks well
  • Shorter than the Kerala-bred types, ready in about 6–7 months
  • The most widely known variety, with an established market and good shelf life

Things to consider

  • It makes few or no side cormels, so all seed pieces must be cut from the main corm and planting material is costly
  • No special collar-rot or mosaic resistance is claimed — drainage, seed treatment and clean seed still matter

Suitable regions

Grown widely across India and used as the national check variety in suran trials; it began in Andhra Pradesh, and demonstration plots in Bihar have also used it. Check with your KVK how it performs in your area.

  • Andhra Pradesh
  • Telangana
  • Bihar

Frequently asked questions

Why does Gajendra need so much seed corm?

Gajendra makes few or no side cormels, so the seed cannot come from small daughter corms. Every piece has to be cut from the main corm, in pieces of about 500 g–1 kg with part of the bud. That is why planting material is the biggest cost of the crop.

Sourced from: TNAU Agritech Portal — Elephant yam, ICAR-CTCRI, Thiruvananthapuram. editorial policy.