International Journal of Agriculture Extension and Social Development

author(s)
Harsha KN, Manuval Joseph, Veeresh N, Karuppa Samy K, HR Sachin, AS Shrunkala, Sushmitha KK, Siddarth NS and Ramegowda GK

abstract
Traditionally small cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum L) cultivation was restricted only to areas receiving high to medium level of rainfall in Western Ghats tracts of Karnataka. With the changing scenarios, farmers from medium and lower rainfall areas as well as non-traditional areas also initiated to cultivate cardamom as an intercrop in the areca nut and coconut gardens. Cardamom being an important plantation crop of Hassan district has its own distinct variability for marketable quality traits grown within the district of Hassan. Even though crop establishment is ensured, information on quality traits of cardamom in non- traditional areas in comparison to traditional cardamom growing tracts is not available. Cardamom samples brought to cardamom drying facility center of Spices of Board’s Regional Research Station, ICRI located at Sakleshpur, by various cardamom growers across five months (August to December) in a year are sampled for observations. For a period of three years observations were recorded and further data was segregated into four cardamom growing zones to analyze ecological influence on selected quality traits of cardamom. Out of three years of observations it is observed that, higher recovery percentage (21.2%), relative percentage of bold capsules (8mm and above 39.3%) liter weight (548 g/L) is significantly higher in traditional cardamom growing areas of Hassan district. Whereas, higher recovery percentage and bold capsules and liter weight was observed in the cardamom cured during the period of September to October. Higher incidence of thrips (34%) and capsule splitting (22.1%), lower liter weight (462g/L), smaller sized capsules were observed in cardamom grown in low rainfall area and harvest of August and November months. Hence to improve cardamom quality traits in low rainfall areas/ non- traditional areas capacity building programmes addressing productivity and quality improvement shall be intensified and encouraged.