Nagaland University researchers have released a new ginger variety, SAS-KEVÜ, developed under the All India Coordinated Research Project on Spices. The variety was identified after nearly ten years of scientific evaluation and multi-location testing across seven AICRP centres. The research team was led by Prof CS Maiti and Dr Graceli I Yepthomi from the School of Agricultural Sciences, Nagaland University.
SAS-KEVÜ has been formally notified by the Sub Committee on Crop Standards, Notification and Release of Varieties (Horticultural Crops), Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, and published in the Gazette of India.
The variety recorded a yield potential of 17.21 tons per hectare and exceeded the national check by more than nine percent in national demonstrations. A dry recovery rate of 21.95 percent provides an advantage for processors. The rhizomes have a soft texture, bold size, and lemon-yellow flesh with lower fibre content, making them suitable for pickles, beverages, culinary applications, and value-added products.
Nagaland University's Vice Chancellor, Prof Jagadish K Patnaik, said, "Nagaland University is proud to announce the development and National notification of a new high-yield ginger variety 'SAS-KEVU.' This landmark achievement is the result of nine years of rigorous, coordinated national trials carried out by our dedicated team of scientists in collaboration with partner institutions. 'SAS-KEVU' has been specifically developed to deliver higher yields, improved quality, and greater resilience, offering farmers a reliable variety that can substantially enhance their incomes." He added that the release is expected to support India's ginger value chain and promote regional agri innovation.
The variety's moderate oil content and pulpy rhizomes are expected to align with the requirements of candy and ginger paste production. For growers, the combination of yield performance, market acceptance, and rhizome traits offers improved returns per hectare. The crop matures in nine months, fitting into existing production cycles in traditional ginger-growing regions.
Prof CS Maiti said the development work began in 2014. "The variety's journey began in 2014, when nineteen clones of the local Nadia ginger were collected from growing areas of Nagaland and studied in detail for their morphological and biochemical traits." From these, the clone NDG-11 was identified as the strongest performer and later named SAS-KEVÜ.
Between 2018 and 2022, the variety was evaluated in coordinated trials in Chintapalle in Andhra Pradesh, Kozhikode in Kerala, Mizoram, Nagaland, Potangi in Odisha, Pundibari in West Bengal, and Sikkim. Stability analyses, including GGE Biplot assessments, confirmed its performance across varied agro-climatic zones, particularly in Nagaland, Pundibari, and Chintapalle.
Source: Bharat
