INTRODUCTION

·       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

·       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

·       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

·       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.

·       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.

·       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

·       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.

·       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

·       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

·       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

·       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.