Spices
The plants or plant parts which are used to enhance the flavor, aroma, taste, piquancy and preservation of some special human foods such as different type of curries and processed foods ( Jam, Jelly, sauce, pickle, ketch –up etc)
Importance of spices
1. Demand
Spices are highly demandable crops due to its high value such as one tola saffron is sold one lac taka
2. Profit
Benefit from onion cultivation in one hectare of land is 70-80 thousand taka. On the other hand, benefit from Boro rice cultivation in one hectare of land is 20-30 thousands taka only
3. Medicinal value
Garlic contains alicin which is non –protein amino acid and it breaks down cholesterol in the human body. It has also anti-microbial properties. Chilli has anti –oxidant properties. Turmeric has preservation properties. Turmeric is also used for skin smoothness
4. Taste
It adds tang and flavor of human food
5. Appetizer (iywP KviK)
Spices acts as well appetizer
6. Spices intensity increase salivary flow and secrete ptyalin
Present status of spices in Bangladesh
In the world, about 40 types of spices are cultivated. In our country 27 types of spices are cultivated. About 1% of total cropped area is used for spices production purpose and the land under spices production is 144ooo hectare. Total production from this land is 301 metric tons. Our demand is 750 metric tons. We can provide only 40% of our demand. BARI already established a spices Research centre in Bogra. They already released 2 improved turmeric varieties, Dimla and Shindury. One Black piper variety, Jaintapur variety. One coriander variety, BARI Dhania-1. And two onion varieties BARI Piaj-1, BARI Piaj-2. Besides this BAU, BSMRAU are also carrying out their research activities on spices.
Problems of growing spices in BD
1. Problems in relation to production
Most of the spices are climate specific. All types of spices are not possible to grow in all seasons all over the country. Spices like/choose high fertile and productive land for production. This type of land is only 30% in our country. Nutrient deficiencies are other important problems of growing spices in Bangladesh
2. Problems in relation to management
Lack of proper knowledge about insect and proper diseases of different spices
Lack of knowledge of pruning, training, dis-budding and different types of intercultural operations / after cares
Lack of knowledge about processing and storage
3. Problems in relation to the interest of people
People are less interested to grow spices due to lack of information about production, processing, marketing and their benefits
4. Problems in relation seed and variety
Reliable seeds are not available every where in BD
Lack of reliable high yielding variety
5. Problems in relation to research
Lack of germplasm of spices and fund for doing research work
Lack of trained man power and scientific instruments
Transfer of scientists is another problem in research
Prospects of growing spices in BD.
1. Climate:
Most of the major spices can be grown successfully in BD due to suitable and favorable climatic condition
2. Temperature range:
Average lowest temperature is 100C and highest is 350 C, as a result we can grow most of the spices in our country /BD
3. Rainfall:
Average rainfall in our country is 47"-136"(it depends on area and season) out of these rainfall, 95%. Highest rainfall is in sylhet and lowest in (Natore ) rajshahi
4. Availability of labors
Required manpower is available to grow spices in Bangladesh chiefly
5. Demand of the products
There is a high demand of spices crops in Bangladesh
6. Utilization of fallow land
There are many fallow lands in Bangladesh and if those should be brought under spices cultivation resulting production of spices which will increase
7. Price of the product :
The spices are sold in the market at high price, so cultivated spices crop will may be benefited
8. Yield
Yield of spices crop is satisfactory in Bangladesh compare to other country of the world
Factors affecting growing spices in BD
1. Temperature
Both high and low temperature is harmful to spices production. Stigmatal fluid dries up if temperature raises high. It affects most of the spices. In case of chili, if temperature is high and relative humidity is low, balance between absorption of water from soil and transpiration may be hampered. As a result, flower and immature fruits are to be sheded. Very high and very low temperature is the reason for small and seedless fruit
2. Rainfall
Flower of chili is to be shed due to high rainfall and more cloudy sky. Disease infection and insect infestation increase in high relative humidity
3. Land
Most spices prefer high fertile land. chili, bulb and rhizome type spices cannot tolerate water logged condition. Most of the spices prefer sandy loam and loamy soil. Bulb and Rhizome type spices cannot be grown in clay and clay loam soil.
4. Day length
Some crops prefer clear sun light and some do not prefer clear sunlight such as garlic, turmeric, and zinger. In our country onion is mainly winter crop. It needs short day length for bulb formation. Our local variety is suitable to grow in this regard. Beside this, BARI Piaj-2 is grown in summer season. On the other hand, Indian onion bulbs available in BD market are not grown in our country because those onions need 16 hour day length to form bulbs. For this reason, Indian bulbs are not grown in Bangladesh
Classification of spices
1. On the basis of time of use
a. Spices
It is used at the beginning of cooking curry. E.g. Onion, garlic, zinger, Chili etc
b. Condiments
It is used at the end of the cooking curry or meat. E.g. cinnamon, cumin, coriander, clove
c. Culinary (bulb) herbs
It is used freshly without cooking. E.g. onion, mint, coriander
2. On the basis of use of plant parts
a. Leaf: Indian cassis /Bea leaf
b. Bark / Phloem: Cinnamon (`viy wPwb)
c. Flower bud: Clove (lobong)
d. Stigma and style : saffron
e. Fruit: chili, Black piper, elachi
f. Seed: black cumin ( jira) , cumin, fenugreek(‡gw_) etc.
g. Carnel: nutmeg (Rvqdj)
h. Root : Angelica(ivbœvq I Jl‡a e¨eüZ myMwÜ jZvwe‡kl)
i. Bulb: Onion
j. Rhizome: zinger, turmeric
k. Bud: Garlic (imyb)
3. On the basis of life cycle
a. Annual: coriander (awbqv )leaf
b. Biennial: onion
c. Perennial: turmeric (njy`), zinger, cinnamon
4. On the basis of demand
a. Major: onion, garlic, zinger, chilli etc
b. Minor: saffron, nutmeg
5. On the basis of family
a. Alliaceae: onion, garlic
b. Crucifereae: mustard
c. Graminae: lemon grass
d. Iridiaceae: saffron
e. Lauraceae: cinnamon
f. Leguminosae: fenugreek
g. Myrtaceae: clove
h. Myristaceae: nutmeg
i. Orchidaceae: vanilla
j. Piperaceae: black piper
k. Solanaceae: chilli
l. Umbelliferae: coriander leaf
m. Zingeberaceae
Onion (allium |)
Pungent (Svj) material – Allyele propyle disulphite (C6H12S2)
1% in bulb, 0.46% in leaf, vitamin A and C are found in leaf and flower stock
It is used as spices and salad (mvjv`) crops. It also may be 3 types on the basis of use
1. Spices
2. Condiment(AvPvi)
3. Culinary herb(iÜkvjv m¤^Üxq)
Presence status of onion is BD;
Lands under onion cultivation 34000 ha. About 1.8 lace metric tons is production. Demand 4.5-6.0 lac metric ton. Annual production 1.8 lac metric ton. Average yield 4.07 ton/ ha
Description
Onion flower is a complete and bisexual / hermaphrodite. But they perform their pollination through cross pollination (100%).
Why cross pollination:
If male and female flower are not matured in same time, then self pollination is not caused.
In case of onion, male flower mature first or female flower mature first. So, cross pollination is causes
In case of onion, cross pollination is causes because it is dicogamy in nature ( Dicogamy means one male flower or female flower are not developed at a time, if male portion is developed earlier than female portion is called protendry, and if female protion is developed earlier than male portion is called protogymy) . In case of onion protendry is developed earlier than protogymy
Onion is a thermo sensitive plant
Onion seeds germinate at 20-250C
Provegetative growth is at 15-250C
Production of fleshy scale leaf at 5-100C
Subsequent growth and development at 10-150C
Maturity at 20-300C
In case of temperate variety:
Temperature will be less than 5-70C in each step, from this above information or data, it is proved that onion is a thermo-sensitive plant
Onion is a photo sensitive plant.
In case of tropical variety it is day neutral. On the other hand, temperate varieties are highly day-length sensitive. It cannot produce bulb less than 16 hr day length
| Temperate | Tropical |
| Yields is high | Yields is low |
| Dry matter is low | Dry matter is high |
| Pungent material low | Pungent material high |
| Storage ability low | Storage ability high |
| Day length sensitive | Day length neutral |
Varieties of onion
1. Faridpur vati
Splitting type
Reddish brown in color
Medium yielder
Pungent fairly
Fair in storage
Dry matter content medium
Seeds and bulbs are produced in faridpur
2. Taherpuri
It is single type
Color is red
Best yielder
Pungent material high
Dry matter content high
Storage ability high
Found in Baghmara in Rajshahi, produced seeds in Baghmara
3. Salta
Splitting type
Whitish in color
Medium yielder
Pungent material low
Storage capability is poor
Dry matter content poor
Found in foridpur, Jessore, Shatkira
Seed is produced in Faridpur
BD produce 50% onion seed at demand
4. Kailash nagor/ nagori
Single type
Reddish white in color
Pungent material high
Dry matter content high
Storage capability high
It is cultivated for seed and bulb in pabna
It also found in Notor
5. Zhitka
Single type or non splitting
Red in color
Low yielder
Pungent material high
Dry matter high
Storage capacity high
Cultivated for seed and bulb in Manikganj
Production technology of onion
1. Land preparation
5-6 ploughing followed by laddering, leveling and the soil will be loose and friable with optimum” jo” condition
2. Soil pH: 5.3- 7.0
3. Methods of planting / production system
Seed to bulb
Bulb to bulb
Bulb to seed
Seed to bulb method
It is two types
Direct sowing method
About 3-5% onion is grown in our country through this method
Advantage
v Production cost is low
v Labor cost is low
v No need of seed bed preparation
Disadvantage
v Seed rate is high and about doubling of transplanting
v Plant spacing is not maintained
v Bolting occurs about 60-70
v Yield is low
v Intercultural operations are not easy
v Growth of plant is not uniform due to lack of proper space, light , air , food etc
Transplanting
About 80-85 % onion is produced in BD through transplanting method
Advantage
v Seed rate is 2.5-3kg/ hectare
v Bolting occurs about 3-10%
v Intercultural operation is easy
v Plants get equal light, air, space due to maintain proper plant spacing
Disadvantage
v Labor cost is high
v Skill manpower is needed
v Sometimes seed do not germinate in seed bed
Bulb to bulb method
About 10-12% onion is produce in this method in BD
Advantage
v Less time is taken to grow the plant( 2-2.5 month )
v High market value
v About 100% bolting occurs
v It comes to the market in early season
v To full-fill the demand of the people short onion season
Disadvantage
v Seed rate is very high
v Production cost is high
v Storage capability low
4. Manure and Fertilizer
Plant spacing is 25cm * 10cm or 20cm *10cm for onion
5. Plant spacing
Cowdung : 10-12 tons/ hertare
Urea: 120kg/ hectare
T.S.P: 100kg/ hectare
MOP: 160kg/ hectare