Purple taro ‘Jamuni’. | Photo credit: Special arrangement
ICAR-Central Tuber Crops Research Institute (CTCRI) has launched a purple variety of taro that is characterized by high anthocyanin content.
‘ICAR-CTCRI Jamuni’, which is a purple-striped, long haired taro with an anthocyanin content recorded at 32.79 micrograms per gram of flour, has been licensed by Bengaluru-based startup Spudnik Farms.
Known for its purple-striped flesh, this taro is agronomically valued for its yield potential of 1.5 to 2.0 kg per plant over a crop duration of seven to eight months, CTCRI said.
Sumeet Kaur, CEO of the firm, exchanged a memorandum of understanding with CTCRI Director G. Byju on Wednesday. The technology was licensed to the firm for a fee of ₹ 5.9 lakh.
R. Saravanan Raju, Principal Scientist and Principal Developer of the range, said the main attraction is the bulb’s characteristic purple flesh, along with its stable yield. The variety was jointly developed by A. Asha Devi, Principal Scientist; KM Senthil Kumar, Senior Scientist; PS Sivakumar, Principal Scientist and C. Pradeepika, Scientist, CTCRI said.
Dr. Byju said the licensing of elite tuber lines represents a new strategic direction for the institute. The commercialization of the Jamuni variety is a milestone as it is the first tuber variety from CTCRI to be commercialized through licensing.
Published – 28 Jan 2026 21:03 IST
