Parampreet KaurHarshdeep Kaur2023-04-222023-04-222021Harshdeep Kaur (2021). Evaluation of biochemical and antioxidative properties of different turmeric species (Unpublished M.Sc. thesis). Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, Punjab, India.https://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/5810196559Leaves of Curcuma species and its volatile oil are reported to possess several bioactive components, however are generally discarded as waste at time of rhizome harvesting, whereas rhizomes constitute the most commonly used plant part of Curcuma species in either raw or processed powder form. Present study was thus undertaken to characterize the biochemical and anti-oxidative properties of leaves, fresh rhizomes and processed powder of different turmeric species i.e., C. longa (var. Punjab Haldi 1, Punjab Haldi 2, Pragati, Pitamber and Rajendra Sonia), C. amada and C. caesia grown under Punjab conditions. Among the C. longa cultivars, moisture content was observed to be highest in leaves of Punjab Haldi 1 (87.69%) whereas dry matter (18.09%) and ash content (4.31%) was highest in Pragati. Crude fibre and crude protein were found highest in Punjab Haldi 1 (4.56%) and Rajendra Sonia (1.49%) respectively. Leaves of C. amada possessed highest phenolic (28.31 mg/g FW) and flavonoid content (17.28 mg/g FW). GC-MS analysis of volatile oil extracted from leaves of C. longa cultivars near harvesting indicated the presence of α-terpinolene in maximum concentrations and characterized into α-terpinolene chemotype. Bioefficacy of oils against Alternaria alternata was determined and volatile oil of cultivar Pragati exhibited the highest anti-fungicidal activity as well as the highest DPPH free radical scavenging ability and lowest peroxide value. Proximate and biochemical composition of fresh rhizomes and processed powder was determined and highest dry recovery percent was obtained for Punjab Haldi 2 followed by Punjab Haldi 1 among C. longa cultivars. Overall, a decline in total soluble proteins and amino acids content upon processing of fresh rhizomes to powder was observed, whereas amount of phenolics and flavonoids increased. The colour of turmeric powder was brighter than the fresh rhizomes. Curcumin was observed to be in range of 2.95-3.80% among C. longa cultivars, with its highest content present in powder of Pragati followed by Punjab Haldi 1 and Punjab Haldi 2. The higher activity of antioxidative enzymes i.e., Catalase, Peroxidase and Phenylalanine ammonium lyase was exhibited by fresh rhizomes of Punjab Haldi 2, Punjab Haldi 1 and Pragati respectively. In nut shell, every part of Curcuma herb is edible and it bestows myriads of nutraceutical properties that are beneficial to human health. So, present study accentuates its enormous potential for diverse applications in agri-food industry.EnglishThesis