Black pepper : King of Spices - The future crop of Manipur
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Ps. Mariam Anal
Contd from previous issue
With the onset of regular rains, 2 or 3 rooted cuttings are planted around the base of the standard nearly 30 cm away. But in case of coconut and arecanut which have a thick intercoiled root net close to the trunk, pepper cuttings are to be planted 100 to 120 cm away from the tree trunk.
Initially the vines may be allowed to climb on a stick or pole about 2 m tall which is tied to the trunk in a slanting position. After one year when the vine has attained sufficient length, it may be separated from the temporary stake and the lower leaves may be nipped off. A narrow trench of 15 cm deep and wide should be prepared from the base of the vine to the base of the tree trunk to place the vine in the trench in such a way that the growing tip is tied to the trunk while other parts of vine in the trench is covered with soil forming ridge so as not to disturb while intercultural operations are carried out to the coconut or arecanut. About 1100 - 1600 vines are required for planting one hectare. Cultural operation The pepper vines are tied firmly as and when they grow. The tying is done around the node, so that the nodal region is firmly attached and pressed against the standards so as to allow the roots to cling to the standards.
This is an important operation which has to be attended carefully; otherwise, the vine will have no support. The other practice is that when vine reaches a height of 75 to 100 cm without branches, all the leaves are removed except the terminal 3-4 leaves. The defoliated portions are covered with friable fine soil. This aid in establishing a well developed root system and lateral branches may arise out of them. Hand weeding in the basins and slashing in interspaces promotes growth and enhances yield in black pepper.
Training and Pruning The pepper vines should be pruned at the top and prevent from growing too tall and the standard tree where the vine is trained should be pruned to about 6 metre for easy picking of fruit. The vines should be trained to one main shoot and two lateral orthotropic shoots. These are pruned regularly to encourage the development of lateral fruiting branches but these lateral branches should not be tied to the standard, as this would discourage the bushy side growth.
The vines should be first prune back to 15-20cm from the ground level, when they developed 8-9 nodes length followed by second pruning when further 9-10 nodes have been produced, to a height of 3-4 nodes of the previous cut. In this way vines should be pruned 7-9 times until they reach the top of the support about 3 m high. When this is achieved, the terminal growth of vine is arrested by frequent pinching to have the desire height.
The lower portion of vine is kept clean and unbranched at least 1 m from ground level. Regulation of shade Shade is required in pepper plantation especially during hot weather to keep the soil cool, moist and allow sunlight during cool weather to encourage production of flowers and fruits.
The young vines should be protected from hot sun during the summer months by providing them with artificial shade. Regulation of shade by lopping the branches of standards is necessary for optimum light to the vines and for enabling the standards to grow straight. There should not be excessive shading during flowering and fruiting as it encourages pest infestation. Mulching around the basins of vines with organic materials like green leaves or paddy straw @10 kg/vine to a radius of 1 m is required at the end of North-East monsoon. Manure and fertilizer About 10 kg of FYM or compost should be applied during April - May along with 100:40:140g NPK per standard for vines at 3 years and above age annually in 2 split doses during April - May and August-September. During the first year of planting 1/3rd of the above dose and in second year 2/3rd of the above dose may be given. Manures and fertilizers should be incorporated around the vines at a distance of 30 cm.
Lime may be applied @ 500 g per standard during April in alternate years. Biofertilizers such as Phosphobacteria and Azotobactor can also be applied @ 50g/vine mixed with FYM. The requirement of potassium can be given as ash @0.5-1 kg/vine. Micronutrient @ 5g/litre water may apply as foliar application during May - June and SeptOct. for getting 15 to 25% extra yield to the fruiting plant Harvesting and processing of black pepper Black pepper vines start bearing usually from the 3 rd or 4th year and attain full bearing stage from 7th years after planting.
It flowers during the month of May-June and takes about 6- 8 months from flowering to ripening stage. Harvesting season is from November to March. When one or two berries on spike turn red in colour, the whole spikes have to be plucked. Each spike produces 50-60 fruits. The skin (exocarp) turns from green to red on ripening and black on drying.
A full bearing vine yields about 1 kg of dry pepper and can be increased up to 3-5 kg of dried pepper. Seventh or eighth year old pepper vines yield about 800-1000kg/ha. Yield starts decline after 20-25 years and replanting has to be done thereafter. The harvested spikes are sun dried for 7 to 10 days on cement floor or mats, until the outer skin becomes tough black, shrink and wrinkled. Drying is carried till the moisture content gets reduced to 10-15%. Then the dried berries are separated from the spikes by beating or rubbing between hands or trampling them under the feet followed by cleaning and packing.
The writer is with Department of Horticulture College of Agriculture, Central Agricultural University, Imphal and can be reached at [email protected]
Contd from previous issue
With the onset of regular rains, 2 or 3 rooted cuttings are planted around the base of the standard nearly 30 cm away. But in case of coconut and arecanut which have a thick intercoiled root net close to the trunk, pepper cuttings are to be planted 100 to 120 cm away from the tree trunk.
Initially the vines may be allowed to climb on a stick or pole about 2 m tall which is tied to the trunk in a slanting position. After one year when the vine has attained sufficient length, it may be separated from the temporary stake and the lower leaves may be nipped off. A narrow trench of 15 cm deep and wide should be prepared from the base of the vine to the base of the tree trunk to place the vine in the trench in such a way that the growing tip is tied to the trunk while other parts of vine in the trench is covered with soil forming ridge so as not to disturb while intercultural operations are carried out to the coconut or arecanut. About 1100 - 1600 vines are required for planting one hectare. Cultural operation The pepper vines are tied firmly as and when they grow. The tying is done around the node, so that the nodal region is firmly attached and pressed against the standards so as to allow the roots to cling to the standards.
This is an important operation which has to be attended carefully; otherwise, the vine will have no support. The other practice is that when vine reaches a height of 75 to 100 cm without branches, all the leaves are removed except the terminal 3-4 leaves. The defoliated portions are covered with friable fine soil. This aid in establishing a well developed root system and lateral branches may arise out of them. Hand weeding in the basins and slashing in interspaces promotes growth and enhances yield in black pepper.
Training and Pruning The pepper vines should be pruned at the top and prevent from growing too tall and the standard tree where the vine is trained should be pruned to about 6 metre for easy picking of fruit. The vines should be trained to one main shoot and two lateral orthotropic shoots. These are pruned regularly to encourage the development of lateral fruiting branches but these lateral branches should not be tied to the standard, as this would discourage the bushy side growth.
The vines should be first prune back to 15-20cm from the ground level, when they developed 8-9 nodes length followed by second pruning when further 9-10 nodes have been produced, to a height of 3-4 nodes of the previous cut. In this way vines should be pruned 7-9 times until they reach the top of the support about 3 m high. When this is achieved, the terminal growth of vine is arrested by frequent pinching to have the desire height.
The lower portion of vine is kept clean and unbranched at least 1 m from ground level. Regulation of shade Shade is required in pepper plantation especially during hot weather to keep the soil cool, moist and allow sunlight during cool weather to encourage production of flowers and fruits.
The young vines should be protected from hot sun during the summer months by providing them with artificial shade. Regulation of shade by lopping the branches of standards is necessary for optimum light to the vines and for enabling the standards to grow straight. There should not be excessive shading during flowering and fruiting as it encourages pest infestation. Mulching around the basins of vines with organic materials like green leaves or paddy straw @10 kg/vine to a radius of 1 m is required at the end of North-East monsoon. Manure and fertilizer About 10 kg of FYM or compost should be applied during April - May along with 100:40:140g NPK per standard for vines at 3 years and above age annually in 2 split doses during April - May and August-September. During the first year of planting 1/3rd of the above dose and in second year 2/3rd of the above dose may be given. Manures and fertilizers should be incorporated around the vines at a distance of 30 cm.
Lime may be applied @ 500 g per standard during April in alternate years. Biofertilizers such as Phosphobacteria and Azotobactor can also be applied @ 50g/vine mixed with FYM. The requirement of potassium can be given as ash @0.5-1 kg/vine. Micronutrient @ 5g/litre water may apply as foliar application during May - June and SeptOct. for getting 15 to 25% extra yield to the fruiting plant Harvesting and processing of black pepper Black pepper vines start bearing usually from the 3 rd or 4th year and attain full bearing stage from 7th years after planting.
It flowers during the month of May-June and takes about 6- 8 months from flowering to ripening stage. Harvesting season is from November to March. When one or two berries on spike turn red in colour, the whole spikes have to be plucked. Each spike produces 50-60 fruits. The skin (exocarp) turns from green to red on ripening and black on drying.
A full bearing vine yields about 1 kg of dry pepper and can be increased up to 3-5 kg of dried pepper. Seventh or eighth year old pepper vines yield about 800-1000kg/ha. Yield starts decline after 20-25 years and replanting has to be done thereafter. The harvested spikes are sun dried for 7 to 10 days on cement floor or mats, until the outer skin becomes tough black, shrink and wrinkled. Drying is carried till the moisture content gets reduced to 10-15%. Then the dried berries are separated from the spikes by beating or rubbing between hands or trampling them under the feet followed by cleaning and packing.
The writer is with Department of Horticulture College of Agriculture, Central Agricultural University, Imphal and can be reached at [email protected]