www.tjprc.org editor@tjprc.org EVALUATION OF TURMERIC GERMPLAMS FOR TOLERANCE TO FOLIAR DISEASES IN TERAI REGION OF WEST BENGAL SOUMENDRA CHAKRABORTY 1 , S. BANDOPADHYA 2 , ANAMIKA DEBNATH 3 , SUCHAND DUTTA 4 , MURARI KRISHNA ROY 5 & SAMSUL HAQUE 6 1 AICRP Spices, Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Pundibari, Coochbehar, West Bengal, India 2. Department of Plant Pathology, Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Pundibari, Coochbehar, West Bengal, India 3 AICRP Spices Plant Pathology, Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Pundibari, Coochbehar, West Bengal, India 4 Regional Research Station, Coochbehar, West Bengal, India 5 AICRP Spices Plant Pathology, Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Pundibari, Coochbehar, West Bengal, India 6 AICRP Spices Agronomy, Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Pundibari, Coochbehar, West Bengal, India ABSTRACT Leaf spot and leaf blotch of turmeric is an important phytopathological constraint in cultivation in the turmeric growing areas of India. Among the different genotypes CL 32, CL 34, CL 52, CL 54 (from Coimbatore), RH 406, RH 407, RH 410 (from Dholi), TCP 14, TCP 129, TCP 161 (from Pundibari) and TCP 2 (Local check) it was found that TCP 129 recorded lowest leaf blotch (PDI 12.78) and leaf spot (PDI 7.26) disease severity. The highest leaf blotch disease severity (PDI 31.48) was recorded by RH 406 closely followed by RH 407 (PDI 31.16) whereas the highest leaf spot disease severity (PDI 36.38) was recorded by RH 410. TCP 129 produced 46.48% and 70.03% less leaf blotch and leaf spot disease over local check respectively. Over all 4 germplasms were found to produce lower leaf blotch disease severity and 6 germplasms produced lower leaf spot disease severity than local check variety (TCP 2). The highest yield of 14.34Kg/plot (projected yield 28.91t/ha) was obtained by TCP 129 which was also found to have lowest leaf blotch and leaf spot severity. The lowest yield of 7.83 Kg/plot (projected yield 15.79 t/ha) was recorded by RH 410. TCP 129 is therefore highly recommended for the farmers which will produce very high yield in the terai region of West Bengal. KEYWORDS: Leaf Blotch, Leaf Spot, PDI, Yield, Projected Yield, TCP 129 Received: Jun 14, 2016; Accepted: Jul 04, 2016; Published: Jul 08, 2016; Paper Id.: IJASRAUG20169 INTRODUCTION Turmeric, the sacred spice of Asian countries is the rhizome of Curcuma longa L., is a herbaceous perennial nature, native to Indo Malyan region. India is the largest producer and exporter of turmeric contributing about 80% of production and 45% of export (E.V. Nybe et al,2007 ) In India Turmeric is cultivated in Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and West Bengal. In pharmeceuticals it is valued for the anticancerous, anti-inflamatory and anticeptic properties for producing monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes in dry and fresh rhizomes (R Priyanka et al, 2015). Turmeric is affected by many diseases like soft rot, leaf blotch and leaf spot etc. Among that leaf blotch is caused by Taphrina maculans (Sharma et. al.1994) and leaf spot caused by Colletotrichum capsici both of them are serious problem. Turmeric crop (Curcuma longa L.) is affected by two major diseases caused by Colletrichum leaf spot (Reddy et al. 1963) Taphrina leaf blotch (Rao 1995). Leaf blotch of Turmeric was first reported from Rangpur (East Pakistan) (Butler, 1911).Singh et al. (2000) recorded that leaf Original Article International Journal of Agricultural Science and Research (IJASR) ISSN(P): 2250-0057; ISSN(E): 2321-0087 Vol. 6, Issue 4, Aug 2016, 61-68 © TJPRC Pvt. Ltd.