Organic cultivation of black pepper

    Today, We will discuss about organic cultivation of black pepper.

      Scientific name.     :     Piper nigrum

           Family.               :      Piperaceae

        Kingdom.             :      Plantae

  The birth place of black pepper is South india, because it is mostly cultivated in southern India. Kerala, Karnataka, Tamilnadu & Northern East place like Andaman and Nicobar & Maharashtra are the place where it is cultivated mostly. In india, it is cultivated on a large scale, it is mostly exported from India and it is also mostly consumed here. For it's cultivation, southern India's soil is most suitable one. It can be harvested by using seeds as well as it's stem. Harvesting by using its stem is the most appropriate one. It roots penetrate upto 2 meter deep in the soil, it's plants are also categorized as evergreen plants and it's plants start to give the production after 3 years.

                Suitable soil for cultivation.

 Red latirite and Red soil's are best for it's cultivation. As these soil doesn't have the risk of storage of water in them which prevents the rottening of roots. Apart from red soil it can be also cultivated in the soil which pH range from 5-6.

    

                   Climate and Temperature.

For it's cultivation place with good rainfall and dry tropical evergreen palce are suitable for it. It can be cultivated in hot weather, by which this cannot be cultivated in cold region. It can be cultivated in hot regions but with proper and frequent irrigation. 25°-30° Celcius is the most suitable temperature for it's climbers and maximum 40° & minimum 10° Celcius temperature are bearable by the plants. It's crops require 200 cm water level.

                      Ploughing of land.

It's crops are harvested once in the land and after it , it gives production to upto 25-30 years so as when you cultivated the crop then the land should be ploughed and after it make similar digs at difinite distance and stand a bamboo sticks near it which will help the climbers to climb. Distance between two digs should be 10-12 feet , so the weeds can be easily plough off.

                      Preparation of plants.

It's seeds cannot be directly  harvested in the farm so the plants are prepared and them they are sowed. Many methods are used and some of the methods are:-

1. Simple method ( eschorefication)

  By the use of this methods we harvest by using seeds. For this we take the fertility soil in a polythene bags & pot, before placing seeds in the polythene bags and pot we should place the seeds in vinegar solution one day before the sowing of the seeds. The seeds which floats in the solution that should be eliminated and leftover should be planted in the pots. Germination occurs in 1 month after the placing of the seeds.

2. Systematic method. 

By the use of this methods, plants with good qualities are prepared. For this we should add cow dung in general amount and mixed with the soil. After this the seeds are mixed with routine hormone and dig it in the soil and prevent it form direct sunlight. The best time for harvesting by using this method is from March- April. Roughly after 1 month the germination started.

3. Serpentine method.

 By the use of this methods, many plants are germinated from the single plant and it is also the cheapest method. The main plant in this method is cultivated in 500gm of soil and should be place it in shadowy region. When climbers start to generate from that plant then the sprouts should  be cover up by using soil and left one sprout uncovered between the two sprouts. By this methods the sprouts also develop roots in them, then are detached from the parents plants and harvested in the land. The best time for it's harvesting in the month of November.

 

           Methods and time for harvesting.

At the starting age, plants cannot bear sunlight so it's cultivation is done in the month of December. Prevents the crops from direct sunlight for 2 year for this you have to cover the crops with the help of tent. During harvesting of the crops put the distance of 3 meter but you have to keep it only 8-10 meter , it will be convenient for taking of the fruits.

            Amounts of manuares and fertilizers.

In it's farm, the digs should be offered with proper amount of manures and fertilizers. At the starting add 10kg of cow dung and 1kg of Neem cake in every dig and then plants the crops in it. If the soil is acidic , then add 500gm calcium carbonate and dolomite to each planet. The manures should be added before the monsoon in the month of April & May. When plants gets fertilized completely then, in 1st year NPK should be added at the ratio of 1:1:3 at the rate of 1/3 rd of the total ratio. And in the 2nd year it should 1:1:4 at the rate of half of the given ratio , and in the 3rd year it should be 1:1:5 twice the year, first in the month of June and second in the month of September.

                                Irrigation.

It crops require more irrigation and it's 1st irrigation should be done just after harvesting and in the interval of 3-4 days water should be added that's why the moisture can be maintained. If we provid less water to the crops then it starts to turn yellow and then dry off. At the time it blooms the water quantity should be lowered as the flowers Cannot withstand more water.

                            Disease Control.

1. Pytophthora disease.

This effect the plant at the initial stage. Roots of the plant rot due to this, leaves and branches get affected by the black spots on them and gradually spots become bigger and they detach from the plants and finally the plant is also destroyed by this. For it's prevention sprinkle bordo solution on the plants. Apart from it we should treat the surrounding soil of the plants by copper oxichloride.

2. Anthracnose disease.

  This is spread by a type of fungus. Chlototrycum gloyosporoaids named fungus vis responsible for it's disease , by this the plants and leaves get effect by yellow and brown spots on them. For it's prevention use 1% Bordiyo should be sprinkle over the plants or 0.01% Carbodiazonium should be sprinkle over the plants.

                       Plucking of crops.

 White pepper is also extracted from the black pepper only. It's plants blooms in the month of May- 

June , after this it takes upto 6-8 month for it's full preparation. Black and white pepper germinated on the same plant and after plucking they are given their white and black pepper. For the process of white pepper, it is plucked before the ripening and dry it then the white colour is obtained. Fir the process of black pepper , when fruits turn from green to Orange then we should plucked  it off and they are separated and should be kept in hot water for 1 min and they are dried in sunlight and after drying they turn into black.

   

                             Production.

 Per plants of the crops can given upto 4-6kg of pepper and in 1 heactare appropriate. 1100-1200 plants are planted. Approximately 4-6 tons/ heactare of production is seen in each session.