Chasing Productivity in Cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum Maton)
Journal Title: Indian Journal of Plant and Soil - Year 2018, Vol 5, Issue 1
Abstract
Cardamom, the Queen of Spices and the native of evergreen forests of Western Ghats, of South India, is a high value crop grown for its dried seeds which contains the aromatic oil (mainly 1,8 cineole, terpinyl acetate, linalyl acetate and linalool )used to flavor foods. Important soil and climatic conditions and eco- systems which are necessary for economically sustainable productivity are reread to align the cultivation practices to realize the purposes for which it is grown. Some focal features about Cardamom and for its productivity are précised below. Cardamom is a perennial underground rhizome with leaf sheaths forming aerial pseudo stems above the soil, growing to 2 to 4 m height. he inflorescence or the panicle arises from pseudo stem elow the soil and come out above the soil as racemic clusters carrying bisexual flowers and fertilized by entomophily cross pollination. Flower initiation starts in March /April after the drought is broken, expending 30 days to full bloom and 5to 6 months to reach harvestable stage. Harvesting or picking of capsules starts around end August and extends up to Dec/January in 6 to 8 pickings. The fruits are about 2 to 3 cm long ovoid and triangular turning brown to pinkish on ripening and carry 40 to 50 seeds. New tillers are also initiated during the same period; and after a year.
Authors and Affiliations
V. Ranganathan
Keywords
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- EP ID EP573509
- DOI 10.21088/ijps.2348.9677.5118.1
- Views 90
- Downloads 0
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