New Delhi, Nov 18 (PTI) Nagaland University researchers have developed a new ginger variety ‘SAS-KEVÜ’ that consistently delivers superior yield, dry matter recovery and culinary quality, making it a high-value option for farmers, fresh produce market and spice-processing industry, according to officials.
The 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 Taken up under the All India Coordinated Research Project (AICRP) on Spices, located in Nagaland University, SAS- KEVÜ emerged after nearly a decade of scientific evaluation and extensive multi-location testing across seven AICRP centres in India.
“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,” said Jagadish K Patnaik, Vice Chancellor, Nagaland University.
According to C S Maiti, Professor at Nagaland University, the variety’s journey began in 2014, when 19 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 — later named SAS-KEVÜ — was identified as the strongest performer.
“With a yield potential of 17.21 tonnes per hectare, SAS-KEVÜ outperformed the national check variety by more than 9 per cent in national demonstrations. Its dry recovery rate of 21.95 per cent offers a strong advantage for processors looking for higher output during drying.
“The rhizomes exhibit a soft texture, bold size and lemon-yellow flesh with significantly lower fibre, enhancing both consumer appeal and suitability for pickles, beverages, culinary use and value-added products,” Maiti said.
The researchers explained that food processing Industry users will benefit from SAS-KEVÜ’s moderate oil content and pulpy bold rhizomes, which aligns well with requirements for candy and ginger paste.
For farmers, the variety’s combination of high yield, high market acceptance and desirable rhizome traits translates into improved returns per hectare. The crop matures in nine months fitting seamlessly into the production cycles of regions where ginger is traditionally grown.
“With the Central Government’s notification under the Seeds Act, 1966, SAS-KEVÜ is now approved for seed production and agricultural sale in Nagaland, Mizoram, West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh.
“The variety, which is the first crop variety was developed by AICRP (Spices) team from Nagaland University and also recorded as first Ginger variety from the research institute of North East States in India,” said Graceli I Yepthomi, Assistant Professor, Department of Horticulture, School of Agricultural Sciences. PTI GJS NB
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