Black pepper : King of Spices - The future crop of Manipur
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Ps. Mariam Anal
Black pepper is the most important of all spices and popularly known as the ‘King of Spices’ and Black Gold in trade. Botanically it is known as Piper nigrum L. and belongs to family Piperaceae. It is a native of Western Ghats of south India (Malabar). The useful economic plant part is the fruit or berry. It is one of the most important earliest known spices produced and exported from India. Nearly 50% of the total export earnings of spices come from black pepper. The alkaloid ‘piperine’ is considered to be the major constituent responsible for the spiciness or pungency of black pepper, which is absent in the leaves and stems. Piperine has insecticidal property which is used for as store grain insect repellent.
Black pepper is highly valued for its characteristic aroma, hot pungent and biting taste which is mainly used for flavouring and seasoning. It is used as preservative for meat packing, canning, pickling, baking confectionery and preparation of beverages and liquors. Its oil is used in cosmetic and medicine for treating dyspepsia, malaria, delirium, lowering high blood pressure, etc. The aromatic odour of pepper is due to an essential oil, while the pungency is due to oleoresin. In India, black pepper cultivation is mainly confined to southern states like Kerala (96% area), Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry. The cultivation of pepper is also coming up in NE region like Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Tripura and Nagaland.
Eastern part of Assam and adjoining areas in Arunachal Pradesh; southern part of Assam adjoining Nagaland; Karbi Anglong district of Assam; parts of Tripura in the rubber plantation area and little pocket in Nagaland are well suited for black pepper. The three major producer of pepper in north east India are Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya. The cultivation of pepper in the North East started only in 2011-12 period with a total production of 1.16 per cent of India’s total production during the year. But increased interest has propelled the region to become a major producer in just five years, with the north east contributing 8.25 per cent of total production in India.
Experts say that the shift is due to climate change, which has impacted production in key growing areas, coupled with fertile land in the north east. Pepper is a perennial ever green climbing woody vine reaching to a height of 10 metre or more. It has wide spread but shallow root system with five distinct types of stems, viz. main stem, runner shoots, fruiting branches (plagiotropics), top shoots (orthotropics) and hanging shoots (geo tropics).
In Manipur, black pepper is a newly introduced crop. The growing of black pepper in the backyard of the kitchen garden and the plants bearing fruits indicated that it will be suitable for growing in the state. Planting material production of this crop have been initiated in the College of Agriculture, Central Agricultural University, Imphal. The climatic condition of state is conducive for the cultivation of this crop and it can be grown up to an elevation of 1500 m above mean sea level. It can be grown in the foot hills or in forest using those grown up trees as a standard for support or fruit trees in the orchard.
(To be contd)
Black pepper is the most important of all spices and popularly known as the ‘King of Spices’ and Black Gold in trade. Botanically it is known as Piper nigrum L. and belongs to family Piperaceae. It is a native of Western Ghats of south India (Malabar). The useful economic plant part is the fruit or berry. It is one of the most important earliest known spices produced and exported from India. Nearly 50% of the total export earnings of spices come from black pepper. The alkaloid ‘piperine’ is considered to be the major constituent responsible for the spiciness or pungency of black pepper, which is absent in the leaves and stems. Piperine has insecticidal property which is used for as store grain insect repellent.
Black pepper is highly valued for its characteristic aroma, hot pungent and biting taste which is mainly used for flavouring and seasoning. It is used as preservative for meat packing, canning, pickling, baking confectionery and preparation of beverages and liquors. Its oil is used in cosmetic and medicine for treating dyspepsia, malaria, delirium, lowering high blood pressure, etc. The aromatic odour of pepper is due to an essential oil, while the pungency is due to oleoresin. In India, black pepper cultivation is mainly confined to southern states like Kerala (96% area), Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry. The cultivation of pepper is also coming up in NE region like Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Tripura and Nagaland.
Eastern part of Assam and adjoining areas in Arunachal Pradesh; southern part of Assam adjoining Nagaland; Karbi Anglong district of Assam; parts of Tripura in the rubber plantation area and little pocket in Nagaland are well suited for black pepper. The three major producer of pepper in north east India are Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya. The cultivation of pepper in the North East started only in 2011-12 period with a total production of 1.16 per cent of India’s total production during the year. But increased interest has propelled the region to become a major producer in just five years, with the north east contributing 8.25 per cent of total production in India.
Experts say that the shift is due to climate change, which has impacted production in key growing areas, coupled with fertile land in the north east. Pepper is a perennial ever green climbing woody vine reaching to a height of 10 metre or more. It has wide spread but shallow root system with five distinct types of stems, viz. main stem, runner shoots, fruiting branches (plagiotropics), top shoots (orthotropics) and hanging shoots (geo tropics).
In Manipur, black pepper is a newly introduced crop. The growing of black pepper in the backyard of the kitchen garden and the plants bearing fruits indicated that it will be suitable for growing in the state. Planting material production of this crop have been initiated in the College of Agriculture, Central Agricultural University, Imphal. The climatic condition of state is conducive for the cultivation of this crop and it can be grown up to an elevation of 1500 m above mean sea level. It can be grown in the foot hills or in forest using those grown up trees as a standard for support or fruit trees in the orchard.
(To be contd)