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Shade-tree management for cardamom

Cardamom is an obligate shade-loving understorey crop requiring 40-60% filtered light; shade-tree management is a defining agronomic operation of the Cardamom Hills. ICAR-IISR recommends maintaining a mixed canopy of native species (Artocarpus, Erythrina, Macaranga, Vernonia) with annual pruning to allow filtered light, retain leaf litter for soil organic matter, and buffer microclimate against the rising temperatures driving recent yield declines in Idukki and Kodagu.

Key parameters

  • Light Requirement: 40-60% filtered light under canopy
  • Shade Trees: Artocarpus, Erythrina, Macaranga, Vernonia spp.
  • Function: microclimate buffering, soil moisture, leaf-litter recycling

See also: Cardamom Small, Cardamom Leaf Blight, Cardamom Root Rot, Cardamom Stem Borer, Cardamom Curing Grading.

References

  1. Cardamom cultivation practices - ICAR-IISR. https://www.indianspices.com/sites/default/files/cultivation_practices-Cardamom.pdf