IISR Kedaram
A 2004 IISR clonal selection of Alleppey finger turmeric with reddish-yellow rhizomes, about 5.5% to 5.7% curcumin and field tolerance of leaf blotch. IISR's pages disagree on its duration (180 or 210 days) and yield (29 or 34.5 t/ha).
Quick facts
- Crop
- Turmeric
- Type
- Planting material
- Season
- Kharif
- Maturity period
- 180 days (IISR variety page); 210 days (IISR table)
- Seed rate
- TNAU gives 2,000 kg of finger rhizome a hectare, in pieces of 25 to 30 g dibbled 4 cm deep. IISR gives no separate seed rate for this variety.
- Expected yield
- 29 t/ha fresh on average (IISR variety page) or 34.5 (IISR table); 5.28 t/ha dry
- Suitable soil
- Loam
- Release
- Released 2004 · ICAR-IISR, Kozhikode, Kerala
About this variety
IISR Kedaram is a turmeric variety released in 2004 by ICAR-IISR, Kozhikode. The variety page calls it an AFT selection, meaning Alleppey finger turmeric, and the variety table calls it a clonal selection from germplasm. It is recommended for Kerala, Karnataka, Maharashtra and North Bengal. The rhizomes are reddish yellow, with 3 mother rhizomes and about 14 secondary fingers a clump. The variety page gives 29 t/ha fresh on average, 5.28 t/ha dry, curcumin 5.70%, oleoresin 14.0%, fibre 3.0% and dry recovery 19.5%, and the variety table gives 34.5 t/ha, curcumin 5.5%, oleoresin 13.6% and dry recovery 18.9%. IISR rates it field tolerant of leaf blotch and notes consistent curcumin.
Should you pick this variety?
Choose IISR Kedaram if you want a turmeric whose curcumin stays steady and that has some cover against leaf blotch, for rain-fed Kerala or irrigated Maharashtra, Karnataka and North Bengal. IISR gives it about 5.5% to 5.7% curcumin, 13.6% to 14% oleoresin and 3% fibre, and calls it field tolerant of leaf blotch, with consistent curcumin. The catch is how many of its figures vary between IISR pages: 180 or 210 days, 29 or 34.5 t/ha fresh, and 19.5% or 18.9% dry recovery. Alleppey Supreme is the same family with the highest yield, 35.4 t/ha, and 16% oleoresin. For the shortest crop choose Pragati or Suguna.
Key characteristics
Sowing & cultivation
- Sowing timeMay to June (TNAU)
- Seed rateTNAU gives 2,000 kg of finger rhizome a hectare, in pieces of 25 to 30 g dibbled 4 cm deep. IISR gives no separate seed rate for this variety.
- SpacingTNAU: 45 x 15 cm, on ridges 45 cm apart or on raised beds 120 cm wide.
- FertilizerTNAU basal dose: 25 t farmyard manure and 200 kg neem or groundnut cake a hectare, with 25 kg N, 60 kg P and 108 kg K, plus 30 kg ferrous sulphate and 15 kg zinc sulphate. Top dress 25 kg N and 108 kg K at 30, 60, 90, 120 and 150 days after planting. IISR gives no separate dose for this variety.
- HarvestingTNAU: the plants lodge, yellow and dry when the crop is mature. Dig the rhizomes with a spade or fork. TNAU gives 25 to 30 t/ha fresh and 5 to 6 t/ha cured as the general yield.
Soil & climate
Soil
- Suitable soil
- Friable, well-drained red loam in wet or garden land under tropical conditions (TNAU)
Yield & maturity
Maturity period
180 days (IISR variety page); 210 days (IISR table)
Expected yield
29 t/ha fresh on average (IISR variety page) or 34.5 (IISR table); 5.28 t/ha dry
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
- Field tolerant of leaf blotch, with consistent curcumin, as IISR describes it.
- Curcumin of 5.5% to 5.7% and fibre of only 3.0%.
- Recommended for both rain-fed Kerala and irrigated Maharashtra, Karnataka and North Bengal.
Things to consider
- IISR's pages disagree on duration (180 or 210 days), yield (29 or 34.5 t/ha) and dry recovery (19.5% or 18.9%).
- Below Alleppey Supreme on yield (35.4 t/ha) and oleoresin (16%).
- No named rhizome rot rating.
Suitable regions
IISR recommends it for Kerala (rain-fed) and for Maharashtra, Karnataka and North Bengal (irrigated).
- Kerala
- Karnataka
- Maharashtra
- West Bengal
Kedaram or Alleppey Supreme: two Alleppey-family releases from 2004
IISR released Kedaram and IISR Alleppey Supreme in the same year, 2004, and both come from the Alleppey finger turmeric family. They are meant for the same places: rain-fed Kerala and irrigated Maharashtra, Karnataka and North Bengal.
On IISR's table, Alleppey Supreme gives more: 35.4 t/ha against 34.5 for Kedaram, 5.55% curcumin against 5.5%, 16.0% oleoresin against 13.6%, and 19.0% dry recovery against 18.9%. Both are rated tolerant of leaf blotch. Kedaram has the extra note on its variety page that its curcumin stays consistent, and its fibre is a low 3.0%.
So the two are very close, and Alleppey Supreme is slightly ahead on every IISR figure except the fibre and consistency note. If you already have one and it performs, there is no clear reason to switch. If you are choosing fresh, take whichever one a local nursery can supply from a healthy mother block.
Can you save seed from this crop?
Turmeric is grown from rhizomes, not seed. Keep seed rhizomes from a clean plot, store them in sand under partial shade as TNAU advises, and do not use rhizomes from plants that showed rot.
How it compares with other varieties
Every Turmeric variety with a page on this site, side by side. The row for this page is highlighted.
| Variety | Best for | Starts bearing | Yield | States |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IISR Alleppey Supreme | Deep colour and high curcumin (5.5%) for buyers who pay for colour, rainfed in Kerala or irrigated elsewhere | About 210 days | About 200 q/ha (fresh, IISR) | Kerala, Karnataka, Maharashtra, West Bengal |
| IISR Kedaramthis page | Steady curcumin and leaf-blotch cover, rain-fed Kerala or irrigated Maharashtra | 180 days (IISR variety page); 210 days (IISR table) | 29 t/ha fresh on average (IISR variety page) or 34.5 (IISR table); 5.28 t/ha dry | Kerala, Karnataka, Maharashtra, West Bengal |
| IISR Prabha | Curcumin-led sales; a 205-day high yielder | 205 days (IISR) | 37 t/ha fresh rhizome (IISR variety page); 37.5 in the 2025 Indian Horticulture appraisal | Kerala, Tamil Nadu |
| IISR Pragati | A short 180-day crop with a high fresh yield; nematode soils | 180 days (IISR) | 38 t/ha fresh rhizome (IISR variety page and Indian Horticulture 2025); 52 t/ha potential | Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Telangana |
| IISR Prathibha | The highest fresh yield of IISR's turmeric releases, with high curcumin and nematode resistance | 225 days (IISR); 210 to 240 days in the Indian Horticulture 2025 appraisal | 39.12 t/ha fresh rhizome on average (IISR), about 391 q/ha | Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana |
| IISR Surya | The powdering industry; light-coloured, aromatic turmeric | 220 to 240 days (IISR) | 29 t/ha fresh rhizome on average; 41 t/ha potential; 5.8 t/ha dry (IISR variety page) | Kerala, Telangana, Odisha, Jharkhand, Arunachal Pradesh |
| Rajapuri | Thick, fleshy rhizomes sold through the Sangli market, for Maharashtra farmers who sell by size | 240–270 days | 200–250 q/ha (fresh rhizome) | Maharashtra |
| Roma | Odisha turmeric with 5.0% curcumin and good tolerance to leaf and rhizome disease, selected at a high-altitude station | 200–255 days | 200–250 q/ha (fresh) | Odisha |
| Salem (Tamil Nadu local) | A big-rhizome Tamil Nadu farmer type with 4.75% curcumin and about 300–320 q/ha fresh | 250–270 days | 250–300 q/ha (fresh) | Tamil Nadu |
| Sudharsana | A short 190-day crop with plump orange rhizomes | 190 days (IISR) | 28.8 t/ha fresh rhizome on average; 54.9 t/ha potential (IISR) | Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Himachal Pradesh |
| Suguna | Highest curcumin of the IISR releases here (4.9%) in a short 190-day crop, for Kerala and Andhra Pradesh | 190 days | 280–320 q/ha (fresh rhizome) | Kerala, Andhra Pradesh |
| Suroma | The same Odisha line as Roma with slightly higher curcumin (5.1%) and oleoresin (14.7%) | 200–255 days | 200–250 q/ha (fresh) | Odisha |
| Suvarna | Deep orange rhizomes and the widest field-tolerance list (rhizome rot, leaf blotch, leaf spot, scale, shoot borer), in about 200 days | About 200 days | 250–300 q/ha (fresh rhizome) | Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana |
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 Turmeric is selling for.
- Seed Rate CalculatorHow much seed your Turmeric plot needs, corrected for the germination of the lot you bought.
- Seed Variety FinderFilter every Turmeric variety on this site by state, season, duration and soil.
- Fertilizer CalculatorTurn the NPK recommendation for Turmeric into bags of urea, DAP and MOP for your field size.
- Crop Profit CalculatorPut your seed, labour and input costs against the yield you expect from this variety.
- Mandi Price CheckerToday's Turmeric rate in your nearest mandi, before you fix a price with a trader.
Subsidy and government support
Schemes that help with the cost of Turmeric seed or planting material. Rules and the application route are on each scheme page.
Frequently asked questions
Is Kedaram a 180-day or a 210-day turmeric?
IISR's Kedaram variety page says 180 days, and its variety table says 210 days. The 2025 Indian Horticulture appraisal groups it at 210 to 240 days. We show both IISR figures. Plan for the longer figure, and let the plants lodge and yellow before you dig.
What yield should I expect from Kedaram?
IISR's variety page gives 29 t/ha fresh and 5.28 t/ha dry, and its table gives 34.5 t/ha. TNAU gives 25 to 30 t/ha fresh and 5 to 6 t/ha cured as the general turmeric yield. So plan on the lower figure and treat 34.5 as the upper end.
What does leaf blotch tolerance mean for Kedaram?
IISR rates Kedaram field tolerant of leaf blotch (Taphrina maculans), so fewer leaves are damaged under natural disease pressure. Tolerant is not immune. IISR gives no rating for rhizome rot, so seed treatment and drainage still matter.
Can I grow Kedaram under irrigation outside Kerala?
Yes in the places IISR names. Its table recommends irrigated cultivation in Maharashtra, Karnataka and North Bengal, and rain-fed cultivation in Kerala. IISR gives no yield by state, so test a small plot.
Sourced from: IISR-Kedaram (Turmeric) — ICAR-Indian Institute of Spices Research, Spice varieties: significant characteristics of turmeric varieties — ICAR-IISR (ITM-ABI), An appraisal of ICAR-IISR released varieties in spices — Indian Horticulture, July-August 2025 (Shivakumar and others), Turmeric — TNAU Agritech Portal (season, seed rate, spacing, manuring, seed treatment, yield). editorial policy.