Cardamom production Flashcards
- scientific name
a. family
b. genus
c.species
d. local names - largest producer
India -54%
Gautemala
Nepal 33
Bhutan 13 %
- cardamomum subulatum Roxb
- zingiberaceae
c. Cardomomum
d. subulatum and elattaria
e. Borang aleichi and aleichi
2.India -54%
Gautemala
Nepal 33
Bhutan 13 %
Background
native to Indo- malayasia
mountainous area of Himalayas to southern china and india
african cardamoms with the genus alframomum are found in megagascar, Somalia and cameroon
- Medicinal Uses
2. culinary uses
remedy for indigestion, pulmonary tuberculosis congestion, Gonorrhea, sore throat, scanty urination, nephritis, cystitis, treat depression, pharyngitis, sore throat, influenza, relieve hiccup, flu.
2.Used as ingredient in biscuits, cakes, curries, sweet dishes, drinks, pickles, ice-cream, homemade rice pudding, salad, etc.
Traditional Indian sweets and tea
As spice in Indian curry
Sometimes seeds are chewed as a mouth freshener
Cardamom in Bhutan
Production escalated from 643MT in 2012 to 1160 MT in 2013,2245MT in 2017 but the production decreased radically to 1542 MT and in 2019 1413MT
Samtse Dzongkhag leads the production with 1008 MT followed by Dagana Dzongkhag with 235mT
average yield-162 kg/ac in 2017
Area under production-13880 ac in 2017
Samtse Dzongkhag leads with 4,496 ac followed by Chukha Dzongkhag with 3,115 ac
23,000 cardamom growers in 2019
Plant Morphology and Characteristics
Flowers
Fruits
Seeds
Tall – up to 2.5 m high Perennial herb Leafy stems Branched underground rhizomes Leaves dark-green – 35 cm long; lanceolate with sword-shaped
Flowers
Bisexual, irregular, pale-white, small and fragrant
Borne on panicles emerging from rootstock
Blooms from March to April
Fruits
Dark-brown, oblong ovoid (8-15 mm long)
Three sided capsule with fibrous, papery and longitudinally wrinkled pericarp
Seeds
Inside lobules are pressed together
Transversely wrinkled and covered by thin membranous “aril”
Bulk of seeds consist of starchy white perisperm, enclosing the endosperm and embryo
Pollination
- …………….is the main pollinating agent
- flowers remain active and open for………………..
- stigma receptivity and pollen viability are maximum during …………….
- four bee hives per ………….. are sufficient for effective pollination
Climate and soil requirement
- Honeybee
- 15 to 18 hours
- morning
- hectare
climate evergreen forests( tropical and sub tropical) altitude; 600 to 1200 masl rainfall 1500 to 4000 mm per year temperature: 10 to 35 degree Celsius
soil
Forest loamy soil
pH: 4.2 to 6.8 (generally acidic in nature)
High in organic and N, low in K and medium to high
Types of cardamom
the smaller cardamomum /lesser/True Cardamom(cardamomum elattaria) Maton
native to the western ghat in south india
alt-600 to 1500 masl
3 to 5 meters tall
flowers in april and fruits mature in Nov to Dec
Trilocular capsules;contain about 10-15 seeds.
Large cardamomum or Greater indian or Nepal Cardamom(cardamomum subulatum) Roxburgh
cuktivated in swampy areas and mountains streams of eastern himalayas
alt-765 to 1675 masl
harvested-aug to oct
capsules-dark red brown(2.5 cm long)
Cultiivars
1.Ramsey Well suited at high altitude 1.5-2 m tall Narrow leaves small capsules flowers in may and harvested in October 24 to 40 seeds per capsule susceptible to viral diseases
2.Sawney Widely adaptable cultivar 1.5 to 2m tall vigorous in nature broad, ovate leaves with bigger capsules 35 to 50 seeds per capsule
3.Dzongu golsey suitable below 1500 masl 1 to 1.5 m tall tillers are green in color narrow and erect leaves big bold capsules with 50 to 70 seeds tolerant to chirke susceptible to foorkey
- Seremna
5. Varlangey
Seremna Grown in low altitude 1.5 to 2 m tall Green tillers and drooping leaves 65 to 70 seeds per capsule High yielding
Varlangey Grown in high altitudes High yielding 1.5 to 2.5 m tall Vigorous type Narrow leaves with wavy margins Bold capsule with 5o to 70 seeds Flowers during June-July Harvested in Nov-Dec
Propagation
sexual through seeds
Matured and good capsules are selected for seeds
Mixed with wood ash, dried in shade
Sown in September to October
asexual/vegetative though sucker multiplication and micro propagation through tissue culture
sexual propagation sowing
sowing
1. June and July, secondary transplantation (25 to 30 cm apart)
2. provide share before transplantation
3. mulch with dry leaves
irrigation, pest and diseases control and fertilizer
application are necessary in the secondary nursey
4.One month before uprooting ,remove shade to encourage tillering
5. sown in sept-oct
6.select the appropriate site
7.dig 30 cm deep and make beds of 6 x 1m x 30 cm
8.cover bed with mulch
9. sow 80 to 100 g seeds in line 10 cm apart
cover seeds with fine soil
10.mulch with dry grass
Asexual propagation through vegetative parts sucker multiplication and micro propagation
- Take precautions to avoid viral transmission
- nursery should be 500 m from the main field
- plant tillers in may and June
- Prepare trenches of 30 cm x30cm x 30cm inter spacing
- mulch with dried leaves
- split grown tillers into one tiller for plantation
micro propagation Done through tissue culture are disease free skills required hardened in polybags or in secondary nurseries planted in June July Planted in June – July
Clear all undergrowth
Pits size: 30 cm x 30 cm x 30 cm with a spacing of 1.5 m x 1.5 m
Fill pit with top soil mix with cow dung and compost @ 1 to 3 kg/pit
Stake and mulch the seedlings
Shade Trees
about 30 species are used
1.Alnus Nepalensis( also called as Betula plant or Nepal alder)
fixes nitrogen
used as fuel wood and decomposes very fast
2.Puyum(dzo)Mecaranga denticulate
3.Abomchusing(Dzo)Jambosa farmosa Walp
3Siris(Nep)Castronopsis indica
4.Ambakay(Nep)Schima wallichi
5.Sokeyshing(dzo)Albizzia lebbek
Management practices-
- weeding
- irrigation
3 rounds of initial weeding is required during the 2 to 3 years
1st weeding is done in june to initiate pollination by exposing the flowers
2nd weeding is done before harvesting for easier harvesting
irrigation
done through open channels ,flooding or through pipes
done during dry months
hose irrigation done 40 to 50 l per plant at fortnightly intervals
Pests and diseases
Leaf eating caterpillar (Artona chorista)
Rhizome weevil (Prodioctes haematicus)
Shoot fly (Formosina flavipes)
Shoot borer
Root grubs (Basilepta fulvicorne)
Spotted red spider mite
Cutworm (Acrilasisa plagiata)
Plant parasitic nematodes
disease
Chirke virus disease
Foorkey
