Black Pepper variety · Released variety
Panchami
Also known as IISR Panchami
ICAR-Indian Institute of Spices Research, Calicut, Kerala · ICAR-IISR · 1991
Late maturing; excellent fruit set; very high oleoresin content; balanced piperine and quality profile.
Key facts
| Type | Released variety |
|---|---|
| Origin | ICAR-Indian Institute of Spices Research, Calicut, Kerala |
| Breeder / source | ICAR-IISR |
| Year released | 1991 |
| Parentage | Selection from Aimpiriyan (Coll. 856) |
| Yield | 2828 kg dry pepper/ha (average) |
| Tolerance | Phytophthora foot rot |
| Distinctive features | Piperine 4.7%; oleoresin 12.5% (high); essential oil 3.4%; large berries; late maturity suited to cool areas |
| Grown in | All pepper-growing areas of Kerala and Karnataka |
| Also known as | IISR Panchami |
Figures are indicative, compiled from public agricultural sources (ICAR institutes, State Agricultural Universities, the Spices Board and the National Innovation Foundation) and vary with soil, season and management. Confirm with your local package of practices.
Panchami in detail
Panchami is a selection from the Aimpiriyan accession released by IISR in 1991 that combines excellent fruit set with oil-rich berries, giving consistently high oleoresin—a key metric for spice buyers.
Origin & story
Selection from the Aimpiriyan accession (Coll.856) at ICAR-Indian Institute of Spices Research, Calicut, Kerala, released in 1991.
How it grows
Late-maturing variety suited to cooler pepper-growing areas. Recorded dry pepper yield is 2,828 kg per hectare, with a potential of 6,528 kg/ha under good management. Each vine averages about 5.2 kg green pepper at 34% dry recovery. Spikes are around 11.2 cm with roughly 84 fruits per spike and an 82% fruit set, giving them a twisted appearance from the dense fruit load. Best with reliable moisture; less suited to drought-prone areas.
Quality & character
Piperine 4.7%, oleoresin 12.5%, essential oil 3.4%. Large berries with high fruit set. Spike twisted from the density of the fruit load.
Why it matters to buyers
Panchami's 12.5% oleoresin content puts it among the higher extraction grades, of interest to processors seeking strong oleoresin yields. Late maturity suits cooler, wetter zones. Not well suited where seasonal water stress occurs. For true-to-type performance, source planting material from IISR or recognised propagators.
About black pepper
India's pepper tapestry splits into two worlds—old landraces born from the Western Ghats soil and careful farmer selection over generations, and modern releases from KAU Panniyur and ICAR-IISR that blend tradition with yield ambition. The ancient cultivars like Karimunda, Kottanadan, and Narayakodi remain the anchor, each rooted in its own stretch of humid…
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