Black Pepper variety · Released variety
Pournami
Also known as IISR Pournami
ICAR-Indian Institute of Spices Research, Calicut, Kerala · ICAR-IISR · 1991
Moderately high yielding; balanced quality and yield; tolerates nematode pressure; drought resilient.
Key facts
| Type | Released variety |
|---|---|
| Origin | ICAR-Indian Institute of Spices Research, Calicut, Kerala |
| Breeder / source | ICAR-IISR |
| Year released | 1991 |
| Parentage | Selection from germplasm (Coll. 812) |
| Yield | 2333 kg dry pepper/ha (average); potential up to 5356 kg/ha with optimal care |
| Tolerance | Root knot nematode; drought |
| Distinctive features | Medium maturity group; high oleoresin content; suitable for humid tracts and drier regions |
| Grown in | All pepper-growing areas of Kerala and Karnataka |
| Also known as | IISR Pournami |
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.
Pournami in detail
Pournami is a black pepper selection from germplasm collection coll.812, released by ICAR-IISR (Calicut, Kerala) in 1991. It is suited to Kerala and South Karnataka and valued for high oleoresin content and tolerance to root-knot nematode.
Origin & story
Released in 1991 by the Indian Institute of Spices Research (ICAR-IISR), Calicut, Kerala, as a selection from the germplasm collection coll.812. It was identified and selected for improved agronomic performance, including a useful degree of tolerance to root-knot nematode.
How it grows
A medium-maturity variety suited to all pepper-growing tracts of Kerala and South Karnataka, and described as adaptable across humid tracts and drier regions. It needs clonal planting material only and benefits from strict plant protection measures. Per vine it yields about 4.7 kg of fresh berries at 31% dry recovery. Recorded yield is around 2,333 kg dry pepper per hectare, with a potential of 5,356 kg per hectare.
Quality & character
Medium maturity group; leaves about 15.6 cm by 8.5 cm and ovate-lanceolate; spike length around 12 cm. Fruit set is about 68%, averaging 79 fruits per spike, with a 1,000-fruit weight of 128 g. Oleoresin is 13.8%, piperine 4.1%, and essential oil 3.4%.
Why it matters to buyers
Its tolerance to root-knot nematode makes it useful in infested tracts. The high oleoresin content (13.8%) and piperine (4.1%) appeal to processors and exporters wanting concentrated flavour. Medium-maturity timing fits varied cropping patterns.
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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