Two promising varieties of Kacholam
By Our Agriculture Correspondent
`Kasthuri' (left) is a variety highly suited for perfumery, while `Rajani' (right) is best preferred for medicinal value.
A POPULAR medicinal herb of Kerala, `Kacholam' (Kaempferia galanga) is widely used in indigenous medicine as a carminative, stimulant, diuretic and cough medicine. Belonging to the family Zingiberaceae, this rhizomatous crop is well adapted to the humid tropics. Being shade-loving, it is suitable for growing as an intercrop in the coconut groves.
`Kacholam' is also used as a flavouring agent, and in perfumery. Chopped and dried rhizomes (the tubers) are the economically important commodity.
Though, this herbaceous plant has been grown in Kerala in homesteads for several centuries, only recently it has been raised to a large extent on a commercial scale.
Traditional varieties are the popular ones that are being grown, and there are no high-yielding varieties available for farmers. Since there is a growing demand for the medicinal plant as raw material, farmers are keen to get improved varieties with higher yields.
To meet their aspirations, the scientists at the department of Plantation Crops and Spices, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, started work on developing high-yielding varieties of `Kacholam'.
A team of scientists including Dr. Alice Kurien, Dr. E.V. Nybe, Dr. A. Augustin, Dr. A. Prasannakumari Amma and Dr. G. S. Nair initiated the collection and evaluation of the germplasm from the various regions of the State.
After intensive research and screening, the team developed, through clonal selection, two varieties of `Kacholam' with high yield potential and rich flavour.
The two varieties have been released recently by the Kerala Agricultural University (KAU) under the names `Kasthuri' and `Rajani', and these varieties have been found to be very well adapted to the central zone of the state of Kerala, according to the scientists.
The variety `Kasthuri' is specific for perfumery purpose, as it has a high volatile oil content of 1.6 per cent, and total extractive of 3.4 per cent. It has recorded a yield of 2.52 tonnes of dry rhizomes per hectare with a driage of 32.78 per cent. The rhizomes of this variety are large and light brown.
The other variety, `Rajani' goes well for medicinal purposes. It has high total extractives of 7.68 per cent and volatile oil content of one per cent. It yields 2.55 tonnes of dry rhizomes per hectare.
The dry rhizome recovery is 34.48 per cent. The rhizomes are medium bold and creamy white in colour.
`Kacholam' is propagated through vegetative means, and rhizomes cut into small bits are used for planting. A seed rate of 750 kg rhizomes is recommended per hectare.
The best time to plant is with the onset of the monsoon, and the rhizome bits are planted on raised beds at an espacement of 20 cm x 15 cm. Liberal quantities of green leaf manure and ripe organic manure along with 100 kg of powdered bone meal per hectare is recommended for luxuriant growth of the crop. The crop may be top dressed with 50 kg each of nitrogen, phosphorus and potash per hectare when the plants are about 60 days old.
Earthing up should be done immediately after the top dressing. The crop can be harvested in January, when the leaves begin to wilt. The harvested rhizomes should be washed in water, chopped and dried in sun before packing.
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