Turmeric, known in Israel as “kurkum,” is a main component in the popular Yemenite spice mixture (hawaij), but has now also become the new centerpiece in a natural pesticide developed by Israeli Druze researcher Professor Fadel Mansour.
The northern Israel scientist, who has worked for 35 years with the Israel Agriculture Ministry’s Volcani Research Center in lower Galilee, uses the spice as the central ingredient in a substance used to treat plastic sheets spread on the ground before sowing or planting.
According to a report on the Israel21c website, the repellent sheets are manufactured by Biopack, the commercial venture founded by Professor Mansour to market his discovery.
Preliminary field tests of the product found that the invention prevented infiltration by even one pest into melon and date crops.
Turmeric is produced from the boiled, dried underground rhizome or rootstalk of the Curcuma longa plant. Native to tropical South Asia, it is a member of the ginger family.
The pungent golden spice is used as a coloring and seasoning agent in numerous commercial food products as well as in Middle Eastern and South Asian cooking. It is also considered a powerful medicinal plant.