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Small cardamom — Malabar, Mysore and Vazhukka types Photo: placeholder pending image-fill pass

Small cardamom — Malabar, Mysore and Vazhukka types

Indian small cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum Maton) traditionally segregates into three morphological types — Malabar, Mysore and Vazhukka — distinguished by panicle (raceme) orientation, plant stature and capsule shape. The three-type classification underlies the choice of planting material in Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu and is the basis for ICAR-IISR / ICRI breeding pools.

The three types

Type Panicle Plant Capsule Suited to
Malabar prostrate (lies on ground) shorter, profuse tillering small, round, three-ridged hot drier tracts, lower elevations (600-900 m); Karnataka (Kodagu, Hassan), Wayanad
Mysore erect (panicles upright) tall, robust bold, oblong, dark green, three-ridged high rainfall, higher elevations (900-1,200 m); Kerala (Cardamom Hill, Idukki), Anamalai
Vazhukka semi-erect / flexuose intermediate stature bold, parrot-green, ovoid mid-elevations (800-1,100 m); intermediate ecology

Vazhukka is a natural intercross between Malabar and Mysore, expressing intermediate panicle posture; most modern Cardamom Hill clonal selections including [[cardamom-njallani-green-gold|Njallani Green Gold]] are of Vazhukka type.

Key characteristics

  • Total clumps/ha: 1,800-2,500 depending on type and spacing
  • Bearing age: 3rd year onward; commercial life 8-12 years
  • Capsule oil: 6-8%; alpha-terpinyl acetate and 1,8-cineole are principal flavour components
  • Dry-yield range: 100-500 kg/ha for traditional types; clonal/improved planting raises to 1,000-2,000 kg/ha
  • Recovery: 22-24% dry from fresh-green capsule

Cultivation

The three types share a common shade-loving ecology (rainfall 1,500-4,000 mm, well-distributed; temperature 10-35 °C; deep loamy forest soils, pH 4.5-6.5; 60-70% overhead shade). Malabar is preferred where Mysore cannot tolerate hot dry summer; Mysore performs best in cool, moist evergreen forest tracts. ICRI / ICAR-IISR released varieties include ICRI 1-8 (mostly Malabar/Vazhukka background) and Appangala-1, IISR Avinash, IISR Vijetha 1 (Vazhukka-Mysore lineage).

Pest and disease profile

All three types are susceptible to [[cardamom-leaf-blight|katte virus mosaic]], [[cardamom-root-rot|rhizome rot]] (Pythium / Rhizoctonia), azhukal (capsule rot, Phytophthora meadii) and to thrips, shoot/capsule borer and root grubs. Mysore is relatively more tolerant to drought; Malabar tolerates lower elevations and slightly higher temperatures.

Adoption

Modern plantings in Idukki and Wayanad are overwhelmingly Vazhukka clonal selections including Njallani Green Gold; Mysore is the planting choice for high-elevation cooler tracts; Malabar persists in marginal lower-elevation gardens.

See also: Cardamom Small, Cardamom Njallani Green Gold, Cardamom Large Amomum Subulatum Sikkim, Cardamom Curing Grading, Cardamom Leaf Blight, Cardamom Shade Management.

References

  1. Small cardamom variability and types - ICAR-IISR Calicut. https://www.spices.res.in/research/cardamom
  2. Cardamom cultivation practices - Spices Board India. https://www.indianspices.com/sites/default/files/cultivation_practices-Cardamom.pdf