IISR Varada
An ICAR-IISR release with plump rhizomes and good adaptability. Not yet individually researched for a detail page.
Quick facts
- Crop
- Ginger
- Type
- Planting material
- Season
- Kharif
- Maturity period
- 195–205 days
- Expected yield
- ~225 q/ha
- Suitable soil
- Loam
- Release
- Released 1996 by ICAR-IISR, Calicut — confirmed by a directly-fetched IISR official page
About this variety
IISR Varada is a ginger variety developed by ICAR-IISR (Indian Institute of Spices Research), Calicut, through germplasm selection (not a cross), released in 1996 per a directly-fetched IISR official page. It gives plumpy rhizomes with flattened fingers and medium-sized reddish-brown scales, a dependable average yield of 22.6 t/ha (~225 q/ha), dry recovery of 20.7%, essential oil content 1.75%, and low fibre content (3.29-4.5%) compared to alternatives — maturing in 200 days. This record's duration and yieldPotential fields were corrected 2026-08-15 to match this directly-fetched spices.res.in sourcing. The IISR page describes it as disease-tolerant and adopted throughout India, but a separate field-screening study reported it susceptible to soft rot, a primary-vs-secondary tension not resolved this phase.
Key characteristics
Yield & maturity
Maturity period
195–205 days
Expected yield
~225 q/ha
Actual yield depends on sowing time, soil, irrigation, weather, seed quality and crop management.
Pest & disease considerations
Advantages & considerations
Why farmers may choose it
- Low fibre content (3.29-4.5%) relative to alternatives, valued for eating and processing quality
- High dry recovery (20.7%) and essential oil content (1.75%), useful for both fresh and processed ginger markets
Things to consider
- Corrected 2026-08-15: duration updated from 230-250 days to 195-205 days and yieldPotential from "High" to "~225 q/ha", to match the directly-fetched IISR official page (spices.res.in) — a strong primary source for this variety
- Reviewed 2026-08-15: the IISR page calls IISR Varada disease-tolerant, but a separate field-screening study reported soft rot susceptibility. This is a primary-vs-secondary tension, not primary-vs-primary, so diseaseResistance is deliberately left as "Moderate" rather than asserting susceptibility as fact
- This record's own states field lists only Karnataka, while the IISR page describes the variety as adopted throughout India — the single-state listing likely understates actual spread, though no source gave a specific state list to add
Suitable regions
States this variety is recommended for — check locally, since a state can have more than one recommended zone.
- Karnataka
Frequently asked questions
When was IISR Varada released?
1996, by ICAR-IISR, Calicut, confirmed by a directly-fetched IISR official page.
Is IISR Varada resistant to soft rot?
Sources disagree — IISR's own page describes it as generally disease-tolerant, but a separate field-screening study found it susceptible to soft rot. This tension isn't resolved, so don't rely on it for soft-rot-prone fields without further confirmation.
What yield does IISR Varada give?
22.6 t/ha (~225 q/ha) on average, per a directly-fetched IISR page.
How long does IISR Varada take to mature?
195-205 days (around 200 days), per a directly-fetched IISR official page.
What makes IISR Varada rhizome distinctive?
Plumpy rhizomes with flattened fingers and medium-sized reddish-brown scales, with notably low fibre content (3.29-4.5%) compared to alternatives.
Sourced from: IISR-Varada (Ginger) — ICAR-Indian Institute of Spices Research. editorial policy.