WAYANAD JEERAKASALA RICE

(Registered  with the GI Registry,Chennai  Under Class : 30 - Rice)

Description of Goods :
The botanical name of rice plant is Oryza sativa. Wayanad Jeerakasala Rice is the traditional aromatic rice cultivar of Wayanad. The average grain yield of Wayanad Jeerakasala Rice is 2.0-2.7 t/ ha and straw yield of 4.0 t/ha. The plants are tall with long duration of 180 to 190 days and are weakly photosensitive. It is a tall variety with weak straw and is susceptible to lodging and is tolerant to pests and diseases. The average plant height of Wayanad Jeerakasala cultivar is 130-140cm with lesser no. of tillers (average 7 to 8 tillers) and very long panicles (27-31 cm) with 130 to 150 grains which are short awned, medium in size and shape (slightly elongated) with golden yellow colour for the hull. Wayanad Jeerakasala rice differs from Basmati rice due to growth habit, areas of original cultivation, physico - chemical properties of grains and grain shape. The grains of Basmati, popular aromatic rice variety of India are slender and elongated when compared to this variety (The variety Basmati 370 has a kernel length of 6.0 - 6.8 mm).

Specifications

1. Kernel length : 4.7 mm - 6.0 mm
2. Kernel shape : (lib) 2.13 - 2.73
3. Kernel colour : White
4. Aroma : Slight to moderate
5. Hull colour : Golden yellow
6. 1000 grain weight :18.0 - 23.0 gms
7. Volume expansion ratio : 4.50 - 4.90
8. Kernel elongation ratio : 1.32 - 1.42
9. Brown rice (%) : 77.0 - 81.0
10. Total milled rice (%) : 70.0 - 73.0
11. Degree of milling (%) : 70.0 - 75.0
12. Head rice recovery (%) : 61.0 - 65.0
13. Gelatinization temperature : High to intermediate
14. Chalkiness : Less than 10%
15. Amylose content (%) : 20(intermediate)

The uniqueness and aroma of the product is maintained by adopting organic methods for cultivation. For better aroma, the crop is raised in the Nancha season (winter season) so that flowering coincides with the coldest months of November and December. It is mainly cultivated in kundu vayals (deep fields). The faunal diversity associated with paddy fields is rich and plays a significant role in controlling harmful insects and pests. Sixteen species of birds have been reported from these paddy fields. The diversity of fish is also reported to be high in kundu vayals. Rouging is done periodically by removing off types to maintain varietal purity. Upon attaining physiological maturity, panicles are selected using strict quality standards pertaining to the morphological characteristics for the collection of seeds for the next season. As parboiling of paddy reduces the aroma and quality, the grains are marketed as raw rice.


Geographical Area of Production

Wayanad lies (in the State of Kerala, India) between North latitude 11° 27' and 12° and East longitude 75° 46' and 76°27'. The altitude of Wayanad varies from 700 to 2100 meters from mean sea level. It is bounded on the East by Nilgiris of Tamilnadu and Mysore District of Karnataka, on the North by Coorg District of Karnataka, on the South by Malappuram District of Kerala and on the West by Kozhikode and Kannur Districts of Kerala. The total geographical area and population of Wayanad are 2126 sq.kms and 6, 72,128 respectively. Its geographical position is peculiar and unique. Placed on the Southern tip of the Deccan plateau, the prime glory of Wayanad is the majestic Western Ghats, with lofty ridges interspersed with magnificent forests, tangled jungles and valleys. The hills are full of plantations like tea, coffee, pepper and cardamom while the dales have a predominance of paddy.

Climate: Wayanad is the land of hills and deep valleys. The altitude of Wayanad varies from 700 to 2100 meters above mean sea level. Wayanad has a salubrious climate. Annual rainfall of high rainfall areas in Wayanad like Lakkidi, Vythiri and Meppadi ranges from 3000-4000 mm. High velocity winds are commonduring the South -West monsoon and dry winds blow in March - April. High altitude regions experience severe cold. In Wayanad the mean maximum and minimum temperature for the last fifteen years were 27°C and 17 °C respectively. This place experiences a high relative humidity, which goes even up to 95% during the South West monsoon period. The average annual rainfall of Wayanad is 1875 mm. The region is biogeographically rich with significant landscape complexity and biological diversity in both flora and fauna. The flora of Wayanad is characteristic of the Western Ghats. Forty one % of the area is under natural forests, ranging from tropical wet evergreen to tropical dry deciduous types. Wayanad offers a panorama of undulating hills and dales which are converted into paddy fields. The cool climate offered by high altitude favors development of aroma in rice and spice crops. Wayanad Jeerakasala rice is cultivated through out Wayanad district, in an approximate area of 22ha. There is scope for further expansion of area under this cultivar.

Proof of Origin (Historical records):

Mention about the traditional tall indica aromatic cultivars like Jeerakasala and Gandhakasala are noted in the age old Malayalam books written on the basis of old verbal recitation in  Malayalam called "Krishi Gita" describing the whole agricultural practices followed in  Malayalakkara, present day Kerala, during the 17th century. Krishi Gita is written in four parts by anonymous author(s) in old Malayalam language and contains a wealth of information about the agricultural practices in Kerala and the nearby regions. Compiled at an unspecified time in history, Krishi Gita epitomizes the equivalent of the present day recommended package of practices for crop production. It covers a wide spectrum of crops including cereals, pulses, vegetables, fruits and nuts grown in Kerala since time immemorial. Krishi Gita has been translated into English by Dr. B. Mohan Kumar in the book entitled Krishi Gita (Agricultural Verses) with commentaries by Dr. B. Mohan Kumar and Sri. P. K. Ramachandran Nair. This book is published by the Asian Agri History Foundation, Andhra Pradesh.  The original author of Krishi Gita is not known and there is no date indicated on the manuscript. It is assumed that the book might have been compiled before 15th century as the crops mentioned in these verses are indigenous ones and not those introduced by Europeans (Portuguese). The verse starts with a distressed note of Brahmins praising Lord Parasurama, seeking his benevolence and knowledge to  improve farming techniques presumably to overcome an agricultural crisis. In the 73rd line of Part 1 of this verse, there is a mention about the variety Jeerakasala (Krishi Gita Agricultural Verses, Page 40). The book says about the seeds suitable for different kinds of lands and it also says that Jeerakasala is very appropriate for cultivation.

Method of Production :

Wayanad Jeerakasala Rice is grown in the broad and extensive valley bottom in Wayanad and the low temperature regime prevailing in this area encourages cultivation of scented rice varieties. Wayanad Jeerakasala Rice, the traditional aromatic cultivar of Wayanad is cultivated in Nancha season (Kharif) based on traditional knowledge comprising local knowledge of varieties, ecological and environmental factors, traditional belief and cultivation practices to have optimum use of resources. The livelihood and food security of tribes of Wayanad viz., Kurichyas and Kurumas mainly depends on paddy. Depending on the availability of water, soil composition and soil fertility different cultivars are traditionally cultivated in vayals (paddy fields). Jeerakasala being a medium duration cultivar is mainly cultivated in kundu vayals (deep fields). The faunal diversity associated with paddy fields is rich and plays a significant role in controlling harmful insects and pests. Sixteen species of birds have been reported from these paddy fields. The diversity of fish is also reported to be high in kundu vayals (deep fields). In Wayanad this variety is traditionally cultivated by the Wayanad Chettis, Kurichya and Kuruma tribal group. These groups have a commitment for the conservation of these varieties as a gift to the coming generations. Jeerakasala is a variety that is traditionally grown as an organic crop to ensure the best quality of the product. The organic system of traditional rice cultivation in Wayanad is ecofriendly. This variety which has been in cultivation in Wayanad for many centuries is inherently resistant to pests and diseases owing to thin and tall stature of plants. Hence no chemical plant protection chemicals are applied to the crop. But the thin and tall feature of the plants makes them susceptible to lodging. In order to avoid lodging, chemical fertilizers are not applied to the crop. The manuring is done by raising green manure crops and leguminous crops and incorporating crop residues and farm yard manure as recommended by Kerala Agricultural University. A balanced manurial programme is followed. Maximum use of on farm resources and inputs is practiced to produce healthy and pollution free grains. The  temperature between 22°C and 26°C during flowering and dough stage of paddy are ideal for the expression of aroma in rice. The maximum temperature recorded at Wayanad from July- December ranges from 24°C to 26°C and hence is ideal for development of aroma flavour in Wayanad Jeerakasala Rice. The variety is cultivated as a transplanted crop adopting the following practices: 

Nursery:

ertile lands with irrigation and drainage facilities which receive good sunlight are selected for raising the nurseries. For transplanting, healthy seedlings are raised in seedbed. Sowing of the nursery is done in June-July months. The selected area is ploughed and harrowed two or three times until the soil is thoroughly puddled and levelled. Raised beds are prepared 5 to 10 cm high, 1 to 1.5 m wide and of convenient length with drainage channels between the beds.

For each hectare of the main field, an area of about 1000 sq.m is taken as nursery area. Organic manure at the rate of one kg per sq.m of the nursery bed is mixed well with the soil at the time of preparation of the field. The nursery is raised by wet method. Germinated seeds are used for sowing in the well prepared nursery bed and adequate irrigation facilities are provided. The nursery bed is drained occasionally to encourage production of vigorous seedlings with short roots. Seedlings will be ready for transplanting thirty days after sowing.

Main field:

The field is ploughed thoroughly to prepare the main field. Weeds, straw and green manure crops are incorporated into the soil by ploughing. Organic manure will be applied @ 5t/ha. Chemical fertilizers are not applied for the crop. A smooth and level field for transplanting the seedlings is ensured. Transplantation is done 10-15 days after incorporating organic manure. Seedlings are transplanted @ 2-3 seedlings per hill in rows, at a depth of 3-4 cm. The crop has a long duration of 180-190 days. For better aroma, the crop is raised in the Nancha season (winter season) so that flowering coincides with the cold months of November and December. Hand weeding will be adopted twice or thrice to remove weeds. Rouging will be adopted to remove other varieties and off type varieties. As the crop is resistant to pest and diseases, plant protection chemicals are not used in cultivation. Weed management is carried out in a way which ensures that losses are brought below the economic threshold level. Synthetic chemicals are not used for weed control. Instead periodic manual weeding is done and clean equipments are used. Rouging for the removal of off plants is done to avoid admixture in the final produce.

Harvesting:

Harvesting of crop will be done after attaining physiological maturity. This usually coincides with December - January months. Upon attaining physiological maturity, panicles are selected using strict quality standards pertaining to the morphological characteristics for the collection of seeds for the next season. After threshing manually, seeds are cleaned and dried in sunlight to a moisture level of 12 to 13 per cent.

Storage and processing:

After drying, the grains will be cleaned thoroughly and seeds will be stored in the traditional  way. After drying to optimum moisture content, the raw grains are either hand pounded or milled in rice mills. Milling with rubber hullers gives better head rice (unbroken grains) recovery. Excessive drying is avoided to reduce breakage of the grains. Parboiling of paddy reduces the aroma and quality and hence is not adopted.

Uniqueness :

Wayanad Jeerakasala Rice is a popular traditional aromatic rice cultivar of Wayanad District. This scented, non-basmati rice is famous for its characteristic fragrance and aroma. The uniqueness of this rice is mainly attributed to particular climatic conditions prevalent in the area, together with varietal characters and system of rice cultivation, adding to the best expression of aroma and flavour in the product. Wayanad is the land of hills and deep valleys. The altitude of Wayanad varies from 700 to 2100 meters from sea level. Wayanad has a salubrious climate. The mean average rainfall in the District is 2322mm. Lakkidi, Vythiri and Meppadi are the high rainfall areas in Wayanad. Annual rainfalls in these high rainfall areas ranges from 3000-4000 mm. High velocity winds are common during the South -West monsoon and dry winds blow in March - April. High altitude regions experience severe cold. In Wayanad (Ambalavayal) the mean maximum and minimum temperature for the last five years were 29°c and 18°c respectively. This place experiences a high relative humidity, which goes even up to 95 percent during the South West monsoon period.

The region is biogeographically rich with significant landscape complexity and biological diversity in both flora and fauna. The flora of Wayanad is characteristic of the Western Ghats. Forty one percent of the area is under natural forests, ranging from tropical wet evergreen to tropical dry deciduous types. The cool climate offered by high altitude favours development of aroma in rice and spice crops. Fragrances of these aromatic rice and plantation crops like tea, pepper, eucalyptus etc. suffuses the very air in this fairy land. Wayanad is ethnically diverse. Wayanad has the highest concentration of tribes in Kerala. The major tribe groups are Panniyar, Kurichyar, Adiyan, Kurumar, Oorali, Kadan and Kattunaicker. The Kurichyar is the agricultural tribal community.

The soil of Wayanad District is mainly of the forest type. It promotes a lush and luxuriant growth of vegetation, which makes Wayanad clothed in uniform greenery. Almost entire Wayanad is drained by the Kabani River and its tributaries, namely Panamaram, Mannanthavady and Thirunelli. The river Kabani, courses through the paddy fields. The east flowing rivers of Wayanad are in striking contrast to the west flowing rivers of the rest of Kerala. Agriculture in Wayanad is equally divided between paddy and plantation crops.

The hills are deep blue in bright sunlight and lie mist covered most of the time, juxtaposed with the green of paddy fields. The temperature between 22°C and 26°C during flowering and dough stage are ideal for the expression of aroma in rice. The maximum temperature recorded at Wayanad from July- December ranges from 24.4 °C to 26.8°C. The organic systems of traditional rice cultivation are eco-friendly. The distinctive, exclusive and rare qualities of Wayanad Jeerakasala Rice could be the result of several factors including genotype, climate, soil and other ecological factors and unique system of cultivation based on traditional and tribal knowledge. Wayanad Jeerakasala Rice is a popular traditional aromatic rice cultivar of Wayanad District. This scented, non-basmati rice is famous for its characteristic fragrance and aroma. Grains are of medium size and shape (slightly elongated), with golden yellow colour and partial short awns. Wayanad Jeerakasala Rice differs from Basmati rice due to growth habit, areas of original cultivation, physico-chemical properties of grains and grain shape. The pleasant flavour and aroma of Wayanad Jeerakasala Rice fetches a premium price in the market. Other rice cultivars of Wayanad, except Gandhakasala, are non scented and hence is used for ordinary consumption. The plants are tall with long duration of 180 to 190 days and are weakly photosensitive. This cultivar has an average grain yield of 2.0-2.7 t/ ha and straw yield of 4.0 t/ha. The average plant height of Wayanad Jeerakasala Rice cultivar is 130-140cm with lesser no. of tillers (average 7 to 8 tillers) and very long panicles (27-31 cm) with 130 to 150 grains which are short awned, medium in size and shape (slightly elongated) with golden yellow colour for the hull. The grains of Basmati, popular aromatic rice variety of India are slender and elongated when compared to this variety (Basmati 370 has a kernel length of 6.0-6.8mm). Wayanad Jeerakasala Rice grains are slightly elongated and have intermediate amylose content. Wayanad Jeerakasala Rice cooks moist and tender and does not become hard on cooling. This aromatic rice is used for the preparation of special food like Ghee rice, also called "Neichore", a delicacy of the Muslims of Kerala, and is a major Mappilah cuisine. In current days, not only Muslims, but all sections of the society have likings to such preparations leading to a growing demand for small grained aromatic rice. Wayanad Jeerakasala rice is also used for the preparation of Uppuma, Payasam , Puttu and rice flakes(aval). Jains residing in Wayanad area use this rice in their daily food intake. Rice gruel (karifi )prepared from Wayanad Jeerakasala Rice is used in the diets of infants and invalids due to easy digestibility. It is also used as a geriatric food. The straw is highly relished by cattle.

Address : 

1. Kerala Agricultural University, Kerala Agricultural University (PO), Thrissur Dist, Pin Code - 680 656, Kerala, India

2.Wayanad Jilla Sugandha Nellulpadaka, Karshaka Samithi, Rural Agricultural Wholesale Market, Sulthan Bathery, Wayanad - 673592, Kerala,
India.