Progress report for FNC24-1418
Project Information
Raw Roots Turmeric (RRT) is a woman farmer owned business, where I grow 4 types of Turmeric (yellow, orange. white and black) and many other medicinal herbs. This project will use my extensive experience of cultivating Turmeric using different fertilizers and growing conditions. I have been growing Turmeric on small scale at my farm for the last 2-3 years and use the rhizomes for making fresh products to sell at the Columbia Farmer Market and other places. I have learnt farming skills from my family and friends and am aware of the different steps involved in germinating and propagating the turmeric roots. We will prepare 40 new raised beds (4’x 8’ x 16’) with wood chips mulch (2-3”) followed by raised bed mix (12-14”) before planting. All these raised beds will be installed in a greenhouse at our farm. I will start sprouting turmeric roots indoors under the grow lights 3-4 weeks before last frost day to ensure good germination, at a controlled temperature and humidity. Germinated roots (3-4 weeks old) will be transplanted into the raised beds at ~8-10” apart covered with natural mulch and drip irrigation tubing underneath the mulch. To optimize the turmeric yield and to improve the growing conditions, I will be using Epsom and Gypsum salt fertilizers.
For the successful completion of this project, I have been consulting with Liz Graznak, owner of Happy Hollow Farm. Liz has extensive experience in growing various vegetables in the high Tunnels; including turmeric & ginger and has been involved with farming for more than 15 years. Liz Graznak has kindly agreed to be a consultant for this proposal (letter attached).
I have partnered with Paul Zacharias, Counselor at the Small Business Development Center (letter attached), Mizzou to develop an outreach program to increase awareness about turmeric. We will focus on sharing our information with the beginner farmers about the optimal conditions to cultivate turmeric. We will travel to the neighboring cities to hold the educational seminars and one to one meetings with potential farmers/partners. I will manufacture value-added products for sale at Farmer’s markets and retail stores. I have extensively educated the community about my vision via news articles, radio talks and featured articles in local and national magazines (Columbia Missourian, Feast Magazine, Buy Missouri etc.). I will continue doing all these activities at various levels in and around the central Missouri to spread my mission.
Turmeric originated in the Asian sub-continent thousands of years ago and have become an integral part of the natural lifestyle of health and wellness throughout the world. The global market size of turmeric is ~USD 65.36 million in 2020 and is expected to increase by 16.1% to USD 191.89 million in 2028. In 2020, the United States imported $57.1M in Turmeric, becoming the 1st largest importer of turmeric in the world. The increased consumption of this superfood is primarily due to established health benefits, such as anti-cancer, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties.
Fresh turmeric root contains more nutrients than the commercially available powder form. Besides, raw turmeric also adds a great aroma to food. Despite high demands of this crop, the local supply of fresh turmeric in Missouri remains minimal. There is also a lack of reliable knowledge about the cultivation conditions of turmeric in the community. We started growing turmeric a few years ago at our farm. However, we are limited by our resources to increase the production of turmeric the Missouri. The purpose of this project is dual; to increase the production of turmeric in Missouri and develop an outreach plan for awareness.
The purpose of this project is twofold: (i) Grow turmeric with different conditions, (ii) Educate people.
The average yield of turmeric grown in the Midwest conditions is lower (~1 lb/plant) than average (~2.2 lb) without greenhouse (extend the growing season) and raised beds (enriched with Epsom salt and Gypsum salt). By growing the turmeric using the raised beds mixture and greenhouse, we will extend the growing period of turmeric. By comparing with outdoor beds and natural soil, we will figure out the effect of improved conditions on the yield and quality of turmeric (bigger roots; more bioactive).
Germination: We will start sprouting turmeric indoors under the grow lights 3-4 weeks before last frost day to ensure good germination, at a controlled temperature and humidity.
Soil Requirements: Turmeric thrives best in a well-drained sandy or clayey loam rich in humus content.
Fertilizer Requirements: Turmeric is a heavy feeder crop and responds well to organic soil mix rich in Magnesium (Mg), Calcium (Ca) and Sulfur (S). Mg deficiency is more widespread than is realized due to inadequate scientific data about the effect of applications of Mg fertilizers on crops. An article by Dr. Paul Tracy (MFA, Inc., Columbia, MO) concluded that growers in Missouri should pay more attention to the need for Mg fertilizer. Ca is an essential nutrient for plant growth and development, particularly for roots. Sulfur is a constituent of three essential amino acids that play an important role in protein synthesis. Although turmeric contains only a trace amount or very little quantity of Sulphur, it is suggested that inclusion of Epsom salt (magnesium sulfate) and Gypsum salt (calcium sulfate) in the fertilization schedule may dramatically improve the fresh yield of turmeric. We will divide our raised beds into four groups:
- Control Group: No additional fertilizer
- Enriched with Epsom salt (30 ml per gallon of water)
- Enriched with Gypsum salt (1/2 pound per sq ft of soil)
- Enriched with Epsom salt (30 ml per) and Gypsum salt (1/2 pound per sq ft of soil)
These fertilizers will be dissolved in water and sprayed evenly in the raised beds once a month. The soil will be tested for pH, nutrient content and fertility status at the Soil and Plant Testing Laboratory, MU Extension before and after supplementation. The ideal pH for turmeric growth is between 6.0 - 6.5. No Gypsum salt will be used if pH drops below 5.0.
Temperature and Water: Being a tropical plant, Turmeric enjoys humid environments with lots of rain and optimal temperature range is between 68° and 86°F. We will consider installing a drip irrigation system to make it easy to maintain even moisture.
Pest Control: Turmeric is relatively easy to maintain are resistant to common pests and diseases. Some of the pests that may be active during turmeric growth are fungus gnats. Mature plants may be prone to shoot borers, mites, thrips, and whiteflies attacks that may be controlled by fortnightly application of 0.5-1.0% neem oil (organic).
There will be a weekly evaluation of growth, weed management, and irrigation throughout the growing season. After the first killing frost in mid-October/November, the roots and other plants will be harvested, washed, and analyzed for the yield and quality of our crop.
The overall objectives of our project are:
- Grow Turmeric, using different growing conditions at our facilities.
- Marketing of the fresh and ready-to-use varieties of products from these Ayruvedic herbs for daily use at various Institutes and local farmers markets.
- Share our innovative findings about the growing conditions of these Ayurvedic products and their manufacture through field days, website, and social media in the community.
Research
Site Preparation: we have installed the raised beds and filled with them with mixture of dirt, sand and compost. We have installed some raised beds in the green house to compare the growth and yield in open raised beds vs. greenhouse. In the ongoing operations, we are planting turmeric in these beds. These turmeric rhizomes and fingers are from our own harvest from last season and was kept in the potting mixture for 1-2 months to induce sprouting. Once we see visible growth in these beds, (3-4" plants), we will divide these beds into four categories as explained in the proposal. we are also installing drip irrigation system in these beds so that all the plants get same amount of water.
Videos:
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- FNC24-1418 Video Tour of Raw Roots Turmeric Project site prep
- FNC24-1418 Video Tour of Raw Roots Turmeric Planting in Greenhouse:
We will wait till last frost season to harvest turmeric and will compare the yield in different groups. we will measure total yield, average yield per plant, size of plant growth and the roots. We will also send some of the turmeric to the labs to quantify the amount and biovavailibility of curcumin (active turmeric compound) for comparison purposes.
Educational & Outreach Activities
Participation Summary:
We had around 15 visitors last year to our farm. This year we are planning to invite atleast 30 visitors which will include Farmers/ranchers and Agricultural professionals with different expertise.
Project Outcomes
We have planted turmeric this year. Since turmeric takes 7-10 months for one full cycle of yield, our results will not be available till the end of 2025.