Cardamom variety · Released variety
ICRI-4
Also known as ICRI 4
Lower Pulney Hills, Tamil Nadu (ICRI regional station) · Indian Cardamom Research Institute (ICRI) · 1980s
Early maturing Malabar type specifically selected for low-rainfall cardamom tracts. Medium-sized panicles with globose bold parrot green capsules. Critical for drought-prone Lower Pulney hills (<1000 mm annual rainfall).
Key facts
| Type | Released variety |
|---|---|
| Origin | Lower Pulney Hills, Tamil Nadu (ICRI regional station) |
| Breeder / source | Indian Cardamom Research Institute (ICRI) |
| Year released | 1980s |
| Parentage | Malabar type selection, drought-adapted |
| Tolerance | Drought-tolerant; suited to <1000 mm rainfall zones |
| Distinctive features | Malabar type, medium panicles, globose bold parrot green capsules |
| Grown in | Tamil Nadu (Lower Pulney Hills, Dindigul), dry cardamom tracts, 600–1200 m |
| Also known as | ICRI 4 |
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.
ICRI-4 in detail
Early-maturing Malabar cardamom bred at ICRI's Tamil Nadu station for the semi-arid Lower Pulney Hills, where annual rainfall falls below 1000 mm.
Origin & story
Released by the Indian Cardamom Research Institute (ICRI) in the 1980s, ICRI-4 was developed at the Institute's Regional Research Station at Thadiankudisai in Dindigul District, Tamil Nadu. ICRI was started in 1978 under the Spices Board, and the Thadiankudisai station was set up in 1980 to handle location-specific cardamom breeding for the rain-shadow Pulney Hills region.
How it grows
Suited to low-rainfall zones below about 1000 mm a year, which makes it one of the few cardamom selections viable on the drier eastern slopes of the Pulney Hills. It is an early-maturing type. As a Malabar-type cardamom it is generally hardier in drier conditions than the Mysore types. Grown under shade in the typical hill-cardamom belt.
Quality & character
Medium-sized panicles with globose (roundish), bold, parrot-green capsules. It is a Malabar-type selection and is reported to be tolerant to rhizome rot.
Why it matters to buyers
Useful for traders and exporters sourcing from the Pulney and Kodai hills, where erratic rainfall limits the standard varieties. The bold capsule size and deep green colour fit premium grading categories, and the early maturity helps reduce crop-loss risk in marginal zones. Malabar-type cardamom from lower elevations has traditionally fetched steady rather than top-tier pricing compared with the larger Mysore types.
About cardamom
In Kerala's rolling spice gardens, cardamom isn't just one plant—it's three distinct botanical types, each with its own character. The Malabar type, with flowers drooping down like a skirt, thrives in the softer elevations of 600–1200 metres. Mysore stands tall and erect, reaching its best between 900–1200 metres on the wind-swept heights. And Vazhukka, a…
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