Journal of Taiwan Agricultural Research

Author:Ruei-Lung Kao, Jih-Zu Yu, Chiling Chen, Yahn-Chir Lee, Chien-Liang Chu,  Ting-Fang Hsieh and Min-Fu Hu*

Abstract:

    Good agricultural practice (GAP) is the currently emphasized policy for cultivation of safe agricultural crops in Taiwan and is recognized as a crucial measure for production of medicinal herb products. In this study, four different types of fertilization were evaluated for their effectiveness on rhizome yield and curcumin content of turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) in 2005 and 2006. The treatments consisted of (A) chicken manure at 9 t/ha; (B) chicken manure with Trichoderma sp. at 9 t/ha; (C) chemical fertilizer at the rate of N:P₂O₅:K₂O = 90:40:100 kg/ha; (D) soil amendment (AR3-2S) with chemical fertilizer (N: P₂O₅: K₂O = 3.9:2.23:1.71) at 2.4 t/ha; and (CK) no fertilizers as control. Each treatment had four replicates in a randomized complete block design (RCBD). The results showed that there were no significant difference in rhizome yields among the treatments in the consecutive 2-year trials, although the yields of rhizome harvested from treatment A and C were higher than those from other treatments. The fresh weight and dry weight of rhizome yields in 2005 were, respectively, 24 t/ha and 6.2 t/ha in treatment C, 23.1 t/ha and 5.9 t/ha in treatment A, 22.7 t/ha and 5.9 t/ha in treatment D, 20 t/ha and 5.2 t/ha in treatment B, and 20 t/ha and 5.3 t/ha in controls. In 2006 the rhizome fresh weight and dry weight were, respectively, 21 t/ha and 4.6 t/ha in treatment A, 18.3 t/ha and 4.0 t/ha in treatment C, 14.3 t/ha and 3.3 t/ha in treatment D, 12.5 t/ha and 2.7 t/ha in treatment B, and 13 t/ha and 2.8 t/ha in CK. The amount of curcumin content extracted from harvested rhizome among different treatments also was not significantly different, although the curcumin contents for treatment C, A and D were 0.43%, 0.41% and 0.41%, respectively, which were higher than 0.30% for treatment B and 0.28% for CK.

Key words:Turmeric, Curcuma longa, Chicken Compost, Curcumin, Good agricultural practice (GAP)

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