IISR Surya
A 2025 IISR clonal selection with light-yellow rhizomes and a unique aroma, bred for the powdering industry. Curcumin is low on purpose, 2% to 3%, while zingiberene is 21.07%. IISR gives 29 t/ha fresh on average.
Quick facts
- Crop
- Turmeric
- Type
- Planting material
- Season
- Kharif
- Maturity period
- 220 to 240 days (IISR)
- 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 rhizome on average; 41 t/ha potential; 5.8 t/ha dry (IISR variety page)
- Suitable soil
- Loam
- Release
- Released 2025 · ICAR-IISR, Kozhikode, Kerala
About this variety
IISR Surya is a turmeric variety released in 2025 by ICAR-IISR, Kozhikode, developed through clonal selection. It is recommended for Kerala, Telangana, Odisha, Jharkhand and Arunachal Pradesh, and takes 220 to 240 days. The variety page gives an average fresh yield of 29 t/ha, a potential of 41 and a dry yield of 5.8 t/ha. The rhizomes are a light yellow with a unique aroma. Curcumin is 2% to 3%, on a par with other light-coloured turmerics, and the oil is rich in zingiberene (21.07%), beta-sesquiphellandrene (14.13%), alpha-humulene (6.30%) and 1,8-cineole (3.42%). IISR's table gives the curcuminoid order as DMC above BDMC above curcumin. IISR calls it best suited to the powdering industry.
Should you pick this variety?
Choose IISR Surya only if your buyer wants a light-yellow, aromatic turmeric for powder, because that is what IISR says it is best for. Do not choose it for curcumin: IISR gives 2% to 3%, on a par with other light-coloured turmerics, against 5% to 6.5% for Pragati, Prabha and Prathibha. What it offers instead is a different flavour makeup, with 21.07% zingiberene, 14.13% beta-sesquiphellandrene and 6.30% alpha-humulene. IISR gives 29 t/ha fresh on average and 41 as a potential, over 220 to 240 days. It is a 2025 release with no disease rating, so start with a small plot and a confirmed buyer.
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
220 to 240 days (IISR)
Expected yield
29 t/ha fresh rhizome on average; 41 t/ha potential; 5.8 t/ha dry (IISR variety page)
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
- Light-yellow rhizomes with a unique aroma, which IISR says suit the powdering industry.
- 21.07% zingiberene and several minor oil compounds that give a distinct flavour makeup.
- 29 t/ha fresh on average, with a potential of 41, and 5.8 t/ha dry.
Things to consider
- Curcumin is only 2% to 3%, so it is the wrong pick if you sell on curcumin.
- A 2025 release with no disease rating and almost no independent trial.
- IISR's table gives the average yield as 41, which its variety page gives as the potential (average 29).
Suitable regions
IISR recommends it for Kerala, Telangana, Odisha, Jharkhand and Arunachal Pradesh.
- Kerala
- Telangana
- Odisha
- Jharkhand
- Arunachal Pradesh
A turmeric with low curcumin on purpose
Most turmeric is judged on curcumin, the compound behind the deep yellow colour. Surya is the opposite case. IISR gives its curcumin as 2% to 3%, and says that is on a par with other light-coloured turmeric varieties. The rhizome is light yellow, and IISR says it has a unique aroma from a high share of minor oil compounds, with zingiberene at 21.07% and beta-sesquiphellandrene at 14.13%.
IISR's table also gives the curcuminoid order as DMC above BDMC above curcumin, which is a different pattern from a standard turmeric. IISR calls the variety best suited to the powdering industry. We found no price, buyer or processing trial for Surya.
So Surya is a niche choice. It does not compete with Pragati or Prathibha on curcumin and should not be judged by it. Plant it only if a buyer has asked for a light-coloured, aromatic powder turmeric, and get that in writing before you plant more than a small plot.
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 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 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 Suryathis page | 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
Why is Surya's curcumin so low?
IISR gives 2% to 3% and says that is on a par with other light-coloured turmeric varieties. The light yellow colour comes with less curcumin. IISR's selling point for Surya is aroma and oil makeup, not curcumin.
Is the average yield 29 or 41 t/ha?
IISR's Surya variety page says an average of 29 t/ha and a potential of 41, with 5.8 t/ha dry. IISR's variety table lists 41 as the average yield. The 2025 Indian Horticulture appraisal gives a mean of 29. We show 29 as the average and 41 as the potential.
Can I sell Surya as ordinary turmeric?
You can, but a buyer who pays for curcumin will give a low price for 2% to 3%. IISR recommends the variety for the powdering industry, not for curcumin-led sales. Settle the buyer first.
Which states is Surya for?
IISR recommends it for Kerala, Telangana, Odisha, Jharkhand and Arunachal Pradesh. IISR gives no yield by state, and the variety is new, so test a small plot where you farm.
Sourced from: IISR Surya (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.