INTRODUCTION |
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CARDAMOM (ELETTARIA CARD AMOMUM) POPULARLY
KNOWN AS QUEEN OF SPICES, IS DRIED FRUIT OF A TALL PERENNIAL HERBACEOUS
PLANT. DUE TO ITS DELICATE AROMA, CARDAMOM IS ONE OF THE MOST EXPENSIVE
SPICES IN THE WORLD. TILL THE SEVENTIES, INDIA WAS ENJOYING A NEAR MONOPOLY
POSITION BOTH IN ITS PRODUCTION AND EXPORT IN THE WORLD. RECENTLY, GUATEMALA
HAS EMERGED AS A MAIN COMPETITOR. |
CLIMATE AND SOIL |
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THE NATURAL HABITAT OF CARDAMOM IS EVERGREEN
FORESTS OF THE WESTERN GHATS. IT IS GROWN IN AREAS RECEIVING ANNUAL RAINFALL
OF 1,500-4,000MM AND TEMPERATURE OF 10 ℃
TO 35 ℃, 600 – 500M ABOVE MEAN SEA LEVEL.
CARDAMOM IS GENERALLY GROWN IN FOREST LOAMY SOILS, WHICH ARE USUALLY ACIDIC
(PH 5.0-6.5) MAJORITY OF CARDAMOM GROWING SOILS ARE LOW TO MEDIUM IN
AVAILABLE P AND K. THESE SOILS ARE LATOSOLS FORMED UNDER ALTERNATE WET AND
DRY CONDITIONS. THE SOILS ALSO CONTAIN LARGE QUANTITIES OF IRON AND ALUMINUM
OXIDE AND HENCE THEY STRONGLY FIX SOLUBLE PHOSPHATES AS INSOLUBLE ONES. |
PROPAGATION |
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CARDAMOM IS
PROPAGATED BOTH THROUGH SEEDS AND VEGETATIVE MODE. VEGETATIVE METHOD IS
BECOMING POPULAR AS THIS ENSURES LARGE SCALE PRODUCTION OF TRUE TO TYPE
PLANTING MATERIAL OF HIGH YIELDING LINES. SEEDLINGS ARE RAISED IN PRIMARY AND
SECONDARY NURSERIES. AFTERWARDS THEY BECOME READY FOR PLANTING. |
PLANTING |
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ABOUT 10-18 MONTHS
OLD SEEDLINGS ARE USED FOR PLANTING IN THE FIELD. PREPARATION OF LAND CONSIST
OF CLEARING ALL UNDER GROWTH AND THINNING OUT EXCESS SHADE TREES OR BRANCHES
TO HAVE AN EVEN OR HEAD CANOPY. PITS OF 45X45X30 CM SIZE MAY BE DUG IN
APRIL-MAY AND FILLED WITH A MIXTURE OF TOP SOIL AND COMPOST OR WELL ROTTEN
FARMYARD MANURE. CLOSE PLANTING (2MX1M) IS ADVISABLE ALONG THE CONTOUR. |
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THE PLANTING IS CARRIED OUT DURING THE RAINY
SEASON COMMENCING FROM JUNE. THE TIME FOR PLANTING IN LOW-LYING AREAS IS
IDEAL AFTER THE CESSATION OF HEAVY MONSOON SHOWERS. WELL FORMED PLANTING
MATERIAL RESULTS IN MORE SHOOTS/CLUMP AND EARLY BEARING. THE SECTION OF
RHIZOME IS PLACED IN SMALL DEPRESSIONS IN THE PREPARED, FILLED TRENCHES OR
PITS AND COVERED WITH SOIL AND MULCH WHILE THE LEAFY SHOOTS ARE PLACED ALMOST
PARALLEL TO THE SOIL SURFACE. NEW SHOOTS ARISE FROM THE RHIZOME AND
CONSTITUTE A CLUMP. |
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THE BEST
ESTABLISHMENT IS OBTAINED WHEN PLANTING IS CARRIED OUT IN AUGUST. SEEDLINGS
ARE PLANTED UP TO COLLAR REGION IN THE DEPRESSION. |
MANURING AND FERTILIZATION |
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CARDAMOM RESPONDS
VERY WELL TO ORGANIC AND INORGANIC FERTILIZERS. NORMALLY A DOSE OF 75:75:150
KG NPK/HA SHOULD BE APPLIED. A FERTILIZER DOSE OF 120:120:240 KG NPK/HA TO
THE HIGH DENSITY PLANTING OF (5,000PLANTS/HA)IS RECOMMENDED. ORGANIC MANURES
LIKE COMPOST OR CATTLE MANURE MAY BE GIVEN @ 5 KG/CLUMP. NEEM OIL CAKE MAY BE
APPLIED @ 1 KG/CLUMP. |
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IN IRRIGATED PLANTATION, APPLICATION OF
FERTILIZER IN 4 SPLIT DOSES AT A QUARTERLY INTERVAL IS BENEFICIAL. FERTILIZER
SHOULD NOT BE APPLIED DURING HEAVY SHOWERS WHICH OFTEN LEADS TO LEACHING OF N
AND P. FERTILIZER MAY BE APPLIED AROUND THE PLANT IN A CIRCULAR FASHION AND
INCORPORATED IN THE SOIL WITH A HAND FORK. MULCHING SHOULD BE DONE
IMMEDIATELY AFTER INCORPORATING THE FERTILIZER. |
AFTERCARE |
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WEEDING, MULCHING,
THRASHING, SHADE REGULATION, FERTILIZER APPLICATION AND IRRIGATION SHOULD BE
TAKEN UP REGULARLY. FALLEN LEAVES OF THE SHADE TREES SHOULD BE APPLIED DURING
NOVEMBER – DECEMBER TO REDUCE THE ILL EFFECTS OF DROUGHT PREVAILING FOR 4-5
MONTHS IN SUMMER. DEPENDING UPON THE INTENSITY OF WEEDS, 2-3 ROUNDS OF
WEEDING IN MAY-JUNE, AUGUST-SEPTEMBER AND DECEMBER – JANUARY ARE NECESSARY IN
SLOPY LAND, ONLY SLASHING OF WEEDS SHOULD BE CARRIED OUT TO PREVENT SOIL
EROSION. SPRAYING OF PARAQUAT (625ML IN 500 LITRES OF WATER/HA)MAY BE DONE
ONLY IN INTERSPACES BETWEEN ROWS LEAVING 60 CM AROUND THE PLANT BASE.
SPRAYING MAY BE DONE BOTH IN PRE AND POST MONSOON PERIODS. |
IRRIGATION |
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IT IS QUITE
ESSENTIAL TO IRRIGATE CARDAMOM PLANTATIONS FROM LAST WEEK OF JANUARY TO MID
MAY. THE PLANTATIONS MAY BE IRRIGATED AT 10-15 DAYS INTERVAL TILL THE ONSET
OF MONSOON. REGULAR IRRIGATION (25MM-37.5MM/IRRIGATION) HELPS IN INITIATION
OF PANICLES, FLOWERING AND FRUIT SET. THE MOISTURE LEVEL SHOULD BE MAINTAINED
ABOVE 45-50%. APPLICATION OF 10-15 LITRES OF WATER/PLANT/DAY IS SUFFICIENT
FOR CARDAMOM. |
HARVESTING AND POST HARVEST MANAGEMENT |
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THE CARDAMOM COMES
TO BEARING IN THE 2-3 YEARS AFTER PLANTING. THE FRUITS MATURE AT 30-40 DAYS
INTERVALS, NECESSITATING 5-6 PICKINGS. HARVESTING SEASON IS OCTOBER-NOVEMBER.
CAPSULES ARE HARVESTED JUST SHORT OF FULL RIPENESS. OVER MATURE FRUITS SPLIT
ON DRYING FLOOR, WHEREAS THE UNRIPE FRUITS SHRIVEL ON DRYING. AN AVERAGE
YIELD OF DRY CAPSULES FROM A WELL- MAINTAINED PLANTATION COMES TO 500KG/HA.
SOAKING FRESHLY HARVESTED GREEN CARDAMOM CAPSULES IN 2% WASHING SODA SOLUTION
FOR 10 MINUTES PRIOR TO DRYING HELP RETAIN ORIGINAL GREEN COLOUR DURING
DRYING. |