**1. Introduction**

The term "Turmeric" was derived from the Latin phrase "terra merita," which translates as "meritorious earth." Turmeric has been utilized in folk medicine and religious tradition for at least 6000 years and is also referred to as the "yellow root," the "golden spice," and "Indian saffron." It has 55 aliases in Sanskrit, each referring to a different part of religion or medicine (**Table 1**) [1]. Turmeric, the grounded rhizome of *Curcuma longa*, is a popular spice in curries and mustards. It frequently contributes to their distinctive color and flavor due to oleoresins and essential oils. Turmeric belongs to the ginger family (Zingiberaceae) illustrated in **Figure 1** is frequently used in traditional Chinese and Indian medicine to cure several ailments [2]. According to the Agricultural Market Intelligent Centre (PJTSAU), global turmeric production is approximately 11 lakh tonnes per year. India leads the global production scenario, accounting for 80% of the total, with China accounting for 8%, Myanmar accounting for 4%, Nigeria accounting for 3%, and Bangladesh accounting for 3%. India exported


#### **Table 1.**

*Common names of* C. longa *in different countries.*

1.71 lakh tonnes of turmeric in 20–21, up from 1.37 lakh tonnes the previous year. Bangladesh (49,522 tonnes), the UAE (12,182 tonnes), Iran (10,964 tonnes), the United States (9,712 tonnes), and Morocco are the top turmeric importing countries from India (8,522 tonnes). Turmeric sales have been steadily increasing since the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020–2021 [3].

*C. longa L.* grown in hot and humid climates. It needs much water and grows up to one-meter height. Turmeric plant leaves are enormous and oblong with short pseudostem. It carries pale yellow flowers without fruits. The rhizome grown underground contains a mother rhizome with many branching subordinate rhizomes. They are ovate, oblong, or pyriform in shape and pale yellow, reddish-yellow, or orange-brown [4–6] shown in **Figure 2** and **Table 1**.
