The ‘Jamuni’ purple taro.
| Photo Credit: Special arrangement
The ICAR-Central Tuber Crops Research Institute (CTCRI) has commercialised a purple taro variety which is characterised by a high anthocyanin content.
‘ICAR-CTCRI Jamuni,’ which is a a purple-streaked, long-corm taro with a anthocyanin content recorded at 32.79 mg per gram of flour, has been licensed to Bengaluru-based startup Spudnik Farms.
Noted for its purple-streaked flesh, this taro is agronomically valued for its yield potential of 1.5 to 2.0 kg per plant within a crop duration of seven to eight months, the CTCRI said.
Sumeet Kaur, CEO of the firm exchanged the MoU 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 lead developer of the line, said that the distinctive purple flesh of the corm is the principal attraction, coupled with its stable yield performance. The variety was co-developed by A. Asha Devi, principal scientist; K.M. Senthil Kumar, senior scientist; P.S. Sivakumar, principal scientist and C. Pradeepika, scientist, the CTCRI said.
Dr. Byju said the licensing of elite tuber crop lines represents a new strategic direction for the institute. The commercialisation of Jamuni marks a milestone, being the first tuber variety from CTCRI to be commercialised through licensing.
Published – January 28, 2026 09:03 pm IST
