Six New Cultivars of Curcuma longa L. (Zingiberaceae) from India

Abstract

Six cultivars of Curcuma longa L. (Zingiberaceae) - the typical ‘Alleppey’, ‘Bilaspur’, ‘Kasturi’, ‘PCT 13’, '‘Kattumanjal’ and ‘Himachal’ - are recognised based on 568 indigenous germplasm collections from different agroclimatic regions of India. All the cultivars are described and floral parts are illustrated in detail except ‘Himachal’ for which flowers were not available, Based on subjective techniques, 21 morphotypic groups were identified. Sixty four descriptor status were observed and coefficient of correlation was worked out. Inter and intra group CEC values were used to substantiate six major subjective groups among the morphotypes.