Kohima: Researchers at Nagaland University have developed a new ginger variety, SAS-KEVÜ, which offers consistently higher yields, better dry matter recovery, and superior culinary quality, positioning it as a high-value choice for farmers and the spice-processing industry.
Developed under the All India Coordinated Research Project (AICRP) on Spices at Nagaland University, SAS-KEVÜ is the result of nearly a decade of scientific evaluation and multi-location testing conducted across seven AICRP centres in India.
The research 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) under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, and the approval has been published in the Gazette of India.
With a yield potential of 17.21 tonnes per hectare, SAS-KEVÜ outperformed the national check variety by more than nine 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.
“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,” Prof Jagadish K Patnaik, Vice Chancellor, Nagaland University.
He said the release of this variety is expected to strengthen India’s ginger value chain, boost regional agricultural innovation, and contribute to the broader national vision of sustainable and profitable horticulture.
The food processing industry is expected to benefit from SAS-KEVÜ’s moderate oil content and its bold, pulpy rhizomes, which are well-suited for products such as ginger candy and ginger paste.
Prof CS Maiti, Department of Horticulture, School of Agricultural Sciences, Nagaland University, said, “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 — later named SAS-KEVÜ — was identified as the strongest performer.”
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“Between 2018 and 2022, it was evaluated under national coordinated trials in Chintapalle(AP), Kozhikode (Kerala), Mizoram, Nagaland, Potangi (Odisha), Pundibari (WB)and Sikkim. Stability analyses, including GGE Biplot evaluations, confirmed SAS-KEVÜ’s ability to perform well across varied agro-climatic zones, particularly in Nagaland, Pundibari in West Bengal and Chintapalle in Andhra Pradesh,” Maiti explained.
