Cardamom variety · Released variety
Mudigere-1
Also known as Mudigere 1
Mudigere, Karnataka (ZAHRS, UAHS, Shivamogga) · Zonal Agricultural & Horticultural Research Station (ZAHRS), UAHS, Mudigere · 1990s
Compact Malabar variety with notable pest tolerance. Resistant to hairy caterpillars, white grubs, thrips, and shoot/panicle borers. Short panicles and oval bold pale green capsules with good essential oil content. A practical choice for pest-prone areas.
Key facts
| Type | Released variety |
|---|---|
| Origin | Mudigere, Karnataka (ZAHRS, UAHS, Shivamogga) |
| Breeder / source | Zonal Agricultural & Horticultural Research Station (ZAHRS), UAHS, Mudigere |
| Year released | 1990s |
| Parentage | Malabar type selection from Mudigere region |
| Yield | around 800 kg dry/ha; 20% dry recovery |
| Tolerance | Thrips-resistant; hairy caterpillar, white grub, shoot borer tolerant; 600–1200 m |
| Distinctive features | Malabar type, compact plant, short panicles, oval bold pale green capsules, 8% essential oil |
| Grown in | Karnataka cardamom tracts (Kodagu, Dakshina Kannada), 600–1200 m |
| Also known as | Mudigere 1 |
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.
Mudigere-1 in detail
A compact Malabar cardamom from Karnataka, valued for its pest tolerance, which makes it a practical choice for pest-prone estates.
Origin & story
Mudigere-1 was developed at the Zonal Agricultural and Horticultural Research Station (ZAHRS), University of Agricultural and Horticultural Sciences, Mudigere, Karnataka, and dates to the 1990s. It came out of the region's cardamom improvement work. The exact release year is not consistently reported across available sources, but ZAHRS Mudigere is confirmed as the originating institution.
How it grows
A compact Malabar variety suited to the traditional cardamom-growing tracts of Karnataka. Its compact habit and short panicles help with canopy management and limit pest access, which is its main practical advantage in pest-prone areas.
Quality & character
Short panicles with oval, bold, pale green capsules. Essential oil content is around 8%, in line with Malabar-type quality.
Why it matters to buyers
Tolerance to major cardamom pests — hairy caterpillars, white grubs, thrips, and shoot and panicle borers — can reduce chemical input needs and appeals to growers facing pest pressure. The bold, pale green capsules and 8% essential oil content support standard Malabar-grade quality.
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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