Agroecological Aspects of Black Pepper (Piper nigrum L.) Cultivation in Kerala: A Review

Abstract

Black pepper with the sobriquet ‘King of Spices’ is a very important spice and medicinal crop of India. The country produces about 62,000 metric tonnes of black pepper annually and about 10–12% of that is exported. Kerala with an area of 82,761 ha under the crop is a leading producer of the spice. Black pepper is grown under varied agro-ecologies in the state ranging from sea level to High Ranges. The crop, a climber, is cultivated either as a monocrop trailed on different multipurpose support trees (called “standards”, e.g., Ailanthus triphysa, Erythrina indica, Garuga pinnata, Gliricidia sepium etc.) or in the homesteads along with assorted trees like arecanut ( Areca catechu ), coconut ( Cocos nucifera ), jack ( Artocarpus heterophyllus ), mango ( Mangifera indica ) and the like . Trailing a sciophytic (shade loving) climber on woody perennial support trees makes it a unique agronomic system and an excellent example of agroforestry. Dead supports like concrete posts, granite/laterite pillars, wooden poles and specially devised PVC columns, although used for raising black pepper plantations, are less prevalent. Attractive prices, albeit fluctuations, long shelf-life of the produce, and the ability to provide a range of ecosystem services including supporting and regulatory services (e.g., carbon sequestration and soil fertility enrichment), make black pepper production an attractive land use option for the farmers of Kerala.