IISR Prathibha
A 1996 IISR open-pollinated progeny selection, among the highest yielders of IISR's turmeric releases at 39.12 t/ha fresh in 225 days, with reddish-yellow rhizomes, 6.2% to 6.52% curcumin, 16.2% oleoresin and resistance to root-knot nematode.
Quick facts
- Crop
- Turmeric
- Type
- Planting material
- Season
- Kharif
- Maturity period
- 225 days (IISR); 210 to 240 days in the Indian Horticulture 2025 appraisal
- Expected yield
- 39.12 t/ha fresh rhizome on average (IISR), about 391 q/ha
- Suitable soil
- Loam
- Disease resistance
- Resistant to root-knot nematode (IISR); no rhizome rot or leaf blotch rating from IISR
- Release
- Released 1996 · ICAR-IISR, Kozhikode, Kerala
Actual yield depends on sowing time, soil, irrigation, weather, seed quality and crop management.
About this variety
IISR Prathibha is a turmeric variety released in 1996 by the Indian Institute of Spices Research (IISR), Kozhikode, Kerala, as an open-pollinated progeny selection, from seedlings grown from true seed, a method rarely used in turmeric. IISR gives the area of adoption as all over India, and its table says Kerala, Tamil Nadu and other states. The crop takes 225 days and gives 39.12 tonnes of fresh rhizome a hectare. The rhizomes are plump, bold and reddish yellow with reddish-brown scales, and the plant is 42.9 cm tall with 1.6 tillers a clump. Curcumin is 6.52% on the variety page and 6.2% in IISR's table, oleoresin 16.2%, essential oil 6.2% in the table and dry recovery 18.5%. IISR rates it resistant to root-knot nematode. IISR turmeric breeder Dr B Sasikumar has noted that Prathibha and its sister release Prabha are the only turmeric varieties in the world evolved through true-seedling selection to date. A documented case from Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh describes a farmer who began growing it in 2004 and by 2010-11 harvested roughly 43 tonnes of fresh rhizome from 2.75 acres, about 386 q/ha, and names Nizamabad, Adilabad and Rangareddy as other districts where it has been grown.
Should you pick this variety?
Choose Prathibha when fresh weight and curcumin both matter, and root-knot nematode is a worry on your land. IISR gives it 39.12 t/ha fresh, the highest of its turmeric releases, against 38 for Pragati and 37 for Prabha, with 6.52% curcumin on its variety page (6.2% in its table), 16.2% oleoresin and 18.5% dry recovery. IISR rates it resistant to root-knot nematode. A farmer case from Andhra Pradesh also reports notable resistance to rhizome rot, but IISR itself gives no rhizome rot rating, so do not count on it. The crop is long, 225 days, against 180 for Pragati and 190 for Suguna. If you want a shorter crop choose Pragati or Suguna, and if you sell on a steady curcumin figure Alleppey Supreme (5.55%) is the more consistent family.
Sowing & cultivation
Advantages & considerations
Why farmers may choose it
- 39.12 t/ha fresh in IISR's figures, the highest of its turmeric releases.
- Curcumin of 6.52% on IISR's variety page and 6.2% in its table, with 16.2% oleoresin.
- Resistant to root-knot nematode, as IISR rates it.
Things to consider
- A long crop, 225 days against 180 for Pragati and 190 for Suguna.
- IISR rates it resistant to root-knot nematode but gives no rhizome rot rating. The rot resistance in older descriptions comes from a farmer case, not an IISR test.
- IISR's own pages give curcumin as 6.52% and 6.2%, so test your own produce before you quote a figure.
- Prathibha is grown in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana as well as Kerala. The Vijayawada farmer's 43 tonnes from 2.75 acres in 2010-11, about 386 q/ha, matches IISR's average of 39.12 t/ha, but it is one farm's result.
Suitable regions
IISR's variety page says all over India, and its table says Kerala, Tamil Nadu and other states. Grown in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana as well, per a documented farmer case.
- Kerala
- Tamil Nadu
- Andhra Pradesh
- Telangana
A rot and nematode plan for a long crop
Prathibha stays in the ground for about 225 days, and rhizome rot is the risk that sits in the soil that whole time. IISR rates the variety resistant to root-knot nematode and gives no rhizome rot rating. An Andhra Pradesh farmer case reports notable rot resistance, but that is a farm observation, so treat the variety as not proven against rot.
Three habits protect the crop. Plant only firm, healthy seed rhizomes from a field that had no rot. Choose a field where water drains away and does not stand. And walk the rows after heavy rain, pulling out any clump with yellowing, drooping leaves, so the rot does not spread to the next plant.
TNAU advises dipping seed rhizomes in phosalone 2 ml a litre with 0.3% copper oxychloride for 30 minutes, or treating them with Pseudomonas fluorescens 10 g and Trichoderma viride 4 g a kg. If your field already has rot, ask your KVK about rotating out of turmeric and ginger for a season.
Can you keep your own planting material?
This crop is planted from rhizomes, so your own field can supply next season. Lift plump rhizomes with healthy buds from plants that showed no rot or yellowing, store them where it is cool, dry and dark, and leave out every soft or mouldy piece — rot carries over in the planting material. Take fresh, clean rhizomes from a research station, a KVK or a government farm when yields drop.
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 | Maturity | 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 | 35.4 t/ha fresh (IISR table) or 19.94 t/ha (IISR variety page) | Kerala, Karnataka, Maharashtra, West Bengal |
| IISR Kedaram | 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 Prathibhathis page | 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 | A short 190-day crop with 4.9% curcumin, ahead of Suvarna's 4.0%, 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 | 17.4 t/ha fresh (IISR station yield); potential 43.5 t/ha | Kerala, 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
Who developed IISR Prathibha, and when?
The Indian Institute of Spices Research (IISR), Kozhikode, Kerala, released it in 1996 as an open-pollinated progeny selection, grown from true seed.
What makes Prathibha's breeding method unusual?
It was bred through true-seedling selection rather than clonal selection — IISR breeders describe Prathibha and its sister variety Prabha as the only turmeric varieties in the world developed this way.
Is IISR Prathibha grown outside Kerala?
Yes. IISR gives the area of adoption as all over India, and its table says Kerala, Tamil Nadu and other states. A documented case also records cultivation in Andhra Pradesh, including Vijayawada, Nizamabad, Adilabad and Rangareddy districts.
What yield has IISR Prathibha achieved?
IISR gives 39.12 t/ha of fresh rhizome on average, about 391 q/ha. A documented Andhra Pradesh farmer harvested about 43 tonnes from 2.75 acres in 2010-11, roughly 386 q/ha, which is close to it. TNAU gives 25 to 30 t/ha fresh as the general turmeric yield, so a farm will usually land below the IISR figure.
Is IISR Prathibha resistant to rhizome rot?
IISR does not say so. It rates Prathibha resistant to root-knot nematode and gives no rhizome rot rating. An Andhra Pradesh farmer case reports notable rot resistance, but that is an observation and not an IISR test. Use clean seed, good drainage and seed treatment.
What does true-seedling selection mean for a turmeric farmer?
It describes how IISR bred the variety, from seedlings grown from true seed. For you it changes nothing in planting, because you still plant rhizome pieces. What it tells you is that Prathibha is an unusual, specially bred line.
Is the 386 q/ha from Vijayawada what I should expect?
Not as a rule. It is one farmer's result, 43 tonnes from 2.75 acres in 2010-11, and it matches IISR's own average of 39.12 t/ha. TNAU gives 25 to 30 t/ha as the general turmeric yield. Plan on the lower figure and treat 386 as the best case.
Is Prathibha a good pick if my field has had rhizome rot before?
Not on IISR's rating alone, because IISR gives no rhizome rot rating for it. Its proven strength is root-knot nematode resistance. On a field with rot, use clean seed rhizomes, a well-drained bed and seed treatment, and ask your KVK about a season out of turmeric and ginger.
Can I sell Prathibha turmeric on curcumin content?
IISR gives 6.52% curcumin on its variety page and 6.2% in its variety table, higher than Alleppey Supreme (5.55%) and Suguna (4.9%) in the same table. The two Prathibha figures differ, so have a lab test your own produce before you quote either to a buyer. Curcumin moves with soil, rain and curing.
How long will Prathibha occupy my field?
IISR gives 225 days, and the 2025 Indian Horticulture appraisal groups it at 210 to 240 days, so about seven to eight months. That is longer than Suguna (190 days), Alleppey Supreme (210) and Pragati (180). Plan your next crop and your irrigation and seed-rhizome costs for the whole period, and take it only if the higher fresh yield justifies the extra months.
Sourced from: Prathibha (Turmeric) — ICAR-Indian Institute of Spices Research, Spice varieties: significant characteristics of turmeric varieties — ICAR-IISR (ITM-ABI), Landmark Technologies — ICAR-IISR, An appraisal of ICAR-IISR released varieties in spices — Indian Horticulture, July-August 2025 (Shivakumar and others), Turmeric — TNAU Agritech Portal (seed treatment, yield), IISR Prathibha turmeric variety — ICAR. editorial policy.