Cardamom variety · Farmer selection
Panikulangara Green Bold 2
Also known as Panikulangara Green Bold No.2
Idukki, Kerala · Joy Peter (registered via ICAR-IISR, PPV&FRA REG/2014/4)
The second registered selection in the Panikulangara Green Bold series, grown alongside Green Bold 1 for its bold capsules that hold their green colour after drying.
Key facts
| Type | Farmer selection |
|---|---|
| Origin | Idukki, Kerala |
| Breeder / source | Joy Peter (registered via ICAR-IISR, PPV&FRA REG/2014/4) |
| Parentage | Selection in the Panikulangara ‘Green Bold’ line |
| Distinctive features | Bold capsules; green-colour retention after drying |
| Grown in | Idukki, Kerala |
| Also known as | Panikulangara Green Bold No.2 |
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.
Panikulangara Green Bold 2 in detail
A farmer-selected cardamom strain in the Panikulangara Green Bold series, grown for bold capsules that hold their green colour after drying. It is the second registered selection alongside Green Bold No. 1, both selected from the Vazukka type.
Origin & story
The Panikulangara line traces to Joy Peter, a farmer in Idukki, Kerala, who in 1993 noticed Vazukka cardamom plants with thick, long leaves and vigorous growth, then selected and clonally propagated them. The first selection, Green Bold No. 1, was released through the Spices Board in 2000, and Joy Peter named the line after his house. Green Bold No. 2 is the second registered selection in the same series (registered via ICAR-IISR, PPV&FRA REG/2014/4). He has reportedly supplied more than one lakh seedlings to growers across Kerala since commercialisation began.
How it grows
The Panikulangara selections are noted for performing under rainfed conditions and adapting to lower altitudes and drought, which is an advantage on Idukki's dry hillsides. They are described as needing less shade (around 40%) than traditional varieties and as short-duration, with capsules ready about 75 days after flowering. Documented for the line, clumps carry roughly 140-150 tillers with 70-80 productive bearers.
Quality & character
Capsules are bold, with about 80% exceeding 8 mm, and the line is valued for holding a green colour after drying. The Panikulangara selections are reported to be less prone to thrips, borers and Azukal (shoot rot) disease and to tolerate drought.
Why it matters to buyers
Buyers and exporters value green-colour retention after drying, since well-coloured pods generally fetch higher prices than bleached or browned ones. The bold capsule size means fewer pods per unit weight. The rainfed suitability and lower-input profile suit smallholders on Idukki's marginal land where irrigation and intensive spraying are hard to sustain.
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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