IISR Girimunda
A 2004 IISR hybrid of Narayakodi and Neelamundi for high altitudes and coffee and tea estates. IISR gives it 2,880 kg dry pepper a hectare and 90% fruit set, but piperine is only 2.2%.
Quick facts
- Type
- Hybrid, planted as rooted cuttings
- Season
- All seasons
- Maturity period
- Perennial; IISR lists it as medium maturing (no first-bearing age published)
- Seed rate
- Not a seed crop — 2–3 rooted cuttings per standard, standards at about 3 × 3 m (roughly 1,100 vines/ha)
- Expected yield
- 2,880 kg dry pepper a hectare (IISR table); 6.14 kg fresh pepper a vine
- Suitable soil
- Well-drained forest loam / laterite, humus-rich, acidic pH 4.5–6.0
- Release
- Released 2004 · ICAR-IISR, Kozhikode, Kerala
About this variety
IISR Girimunda is a black pepper hybrid released in 2004 by ICAR-IISR, Kozhikode, from Narayakodi crossed with Neelamundi. IISR lists it as medium maturing, suited to high altitudes, and its table adds coffee and tea estates and the states Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. The variety page gives 6.14 kg of fresh pepper a vine, and the table gives 2,880 kg of dry pepper a hectare. The AICRP on Spices booklet gives 2,800. The spike is 9.65 cm long with 47 fruits and 90% fruit set, on an ovate-elliptic leaf of 12.9 cm by 8.6 cm. A thousand berries weigh 112 g. Piperine is 2.2%, oleoresin 9.65%, essential oil 3.4% and dry recovery 32%.
Should you pick this variety?
Choose IISR Girimunda for a high-altitude garden or a coffee or tea estate where you sell pepper by weight. IISR gives it 2,880 kg of dry pepper a hectare, one of the highest averages in its table, and 6.14 kg of fresh pepper a vine, with 90% fruit set. The trade-off is pungency: piperine is 2.2%, against 5.1% for Sreekara, and oleoresin 9.65% against 13.0%. IISR gives no foot rot rating for it, which IISR Thevam does have, so on a wet high-range plot do not skip drainage and the protective programme. If your buyer pays for piperine, Girimunda is the wrong pick.
Key characteristics
Sowing & cultivation
- Sowing timePlant with the first monsoon showers, roughly May–June
- Seed rateNot a seed crop — 2–3 rooted cuttings per standard, standards at about 3 × 3 m (roughly 1,100 vines/ha)
- SpacingAbout 3 × 3 m standards in a dedicated garden; follows the host tree spacing as an intercrop
- Sowing methodPlant 2–3 rooted cuttings on the northern side of the standard, mulch the base, and tie every new flush to the standard
- IrrigationWater young vines through their first dry seasons; summer (dry-season) irrigation of bearing vines, increasingly by drip, markedly improves berry fill where water is available
- Fertilizer5–10 kg farmyard manure per vine each year with a thick pre-monsoon mulch, plus an adult NPK dose of about 50:50:150 g N:P2O5:K2O per vine per year in two splits, with lime on very acidic soil
- HarvestingHand-pick spikes in several rounds from November to February for black pepper; good dry recovery means a better weight of dry pepper per kg of green berry
Soil & climate
Soil
- Suitable soil
- Well-drained forest loam or laterite, on the high side of a slope or a mound
- pH
- 4.5–6.0
Climate
- Climate
- IISR recommends it for high altitudes and for coffee and tea estates. It gives no shade or rainfall figures.
Yield & maturity
Maturity period
Perennial; IISR lists it as medium maturing (no first-bearing age published)
Expected yield
2,880 kg dry pepper a hectare (IISR table); 6.14 kg fresh pepper a vine
Actual yield depends on sowing time, soil, irrigation, weather, seed quality and crop management.
Pest & disease considerations
Major diseases
Management notes
- IISR gives no disease rating for this variety, so treat it like any pepper: drainage, mound planting and the protective foot-rot programme.
- On estates, train the vines on the shade trees already there and keep the base mulched.
Advantages & considerations
Why farmers may choose it
- 2,880 kg of dry pepper a hectare in IISR's table, above Sreekara (2,677), Panchami (2,828) and Thevam (2,481).
- 6.14 kg of fresh pepper a vine and 90% fruit set.
- Meant for high altitudes and for coffee and tea estates.
Things to consider
- Piperine is only 2.2%, against 5.1% for Sreekara. A buyer who pays for pungency may pay less.
- Oleoresin of 9.65% and dry recovery of 32% are below Sreekara (13.0% and 35.0%).
- IISR gives no foot rot rating, which Thevam and Shakthi have.
Suitable regions
IISR recommends it for high altitudes, including coffee and tea estates, in Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
- Kerala
- Karnataka
- Tamil Nadu
High range pepper: Girimunda or Thevam?
IISR released both in 2004 for high altitudes and for coffee and tea estates, so most high-range farmers will be choosing between them. IISR's figures give each a different strength.
Girimunda gives more: 2,880 kg of dry pepper a hectare against 2,481 for Thevam, and 6.14 kg of fresh pepper a vine against 4.76. It also has more oleoresin, 9.65% against 8.15%, and more piperine, 2.2% against 1.6%. Thevam's strength is disease: IISR lists it as field tolerant to Phytophthora foot rot, while Girimunda has no rating. Thevam also gives bold berries, at 155 g for 1,000 green berries against 112 g for Girimunda.
So the choice is yield against risk. Where foot rot has already hit your estate, take Thevam. Where drainage is good and you want the higher average, take Girimunda and keep the protective programme ready.
Can you save seed from this crop?
It is not grown from seed. IISR says to use only clonal planting material, meaning rooted cuttings from a vine you have watched, not seedlings from berries. Berries of a cross do not give plants like the parent.
How it compares with other varieties
Every Black Pepper (Kali Mirch) variety with a page on this site, side by side. The row for this page is highlighted.
| Variety | Best for | Starts bearing | Yield | States |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arka Coorg Excel | Kodagu gardens that want the highest listed yield | Perennial; IISR lists it as medium maturing (no first-bearing age published) | 3,267 kg dry pepper a hectare (IISR table); 7.15 kg a vine (IISR variety page) | Karnataka |
| IISR Chandra | A newer early hybrid; long spikes and high fruit set | Perennial; IISR lists it as early maturing (no first-bearing age or days published) | 2,905 kg dry pepper a hectare on average (IISR variety page); 7.5 kg green pepper a vine; potential 7,815 kg/ha | Kerala, Karnataka |
| IISR Girimundathis page | High-altitude gardens and estates that sell on weight | Perennial; IISR lists it as medium maturing (no first-bearing age published) | 2,880 kg dry pepper a hectare (IISR table); 6.14 kg fresh pepper a vine | Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu |
| IISR Malabar Excel | A high-range test block for its oleoresin | Perennial; IISR lists it as medium maturing (no first-bearing age published) | 1,440 kg dry pepper a hectare (IISR table); 2.78 kg fresh pepper a vine | Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu |
| IISR Shakthi | Rain-fed gardens where foot rot is the main risk | Perennial; IISR lists it as medium maturing (no first-bearing age published) | 2,253 kg dry pepper a hectare (IISR variety page) or 2,352 (IISR table); 5.2 kg green pepper a vine | Kerala, Karnataka |
| IISR Thevam | Coffee and tea estates and high-altitude gardens where foot rot is the main risk and weight matters more than pungency | Perennial — first bearing in year 3, full bearing by year 7–8, productive for 20–30 years | 2,481 kg a hectare dry pepper on average (IISR); 4.76 kg fresh a vine (KAU booklet) | Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu |
| Karimunda | Homegarden and mixed-plantation farmers who want a familiar vine with easy planting material | Perennial — first bearing in year 3, full bearing by year 7–8, productive for 20–30 years | 0.98 kg dry pepper a vine in an Assam arecanut trial (fourth of 12) | Kerala, Karnataka |
| Panchami | Kerala and southern Karnataka farmers who sell on oleoresin and want a vine that sets a lot of berries | Perennial — first bearing in year 3, full bearing by year 7–8, productive for 20–30 years | 2,828 kg a hectare dry pepper on average and 5.20 kg fresh a vine (IISR, KAU); 0.75 kg dry a vine in an Assam arecanut trial | Kerala, Karnataka |
| Panniyur-1 | Farmers with open or lightly shaded, well-drained land who want a high-yielding hybrid and will run a foot-rot programme | Perennial — first bearing in year 3, full bearing by year 7–8, productive for 20–30 years | 3.66 kg dry pepper a vine in a Karnataka arecanut trial (best of 11); 1.15 kg a vine in an Assam arecanut trial | Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu |
| Panniyur-2 | Farmers who want a very pungent, shade-tolerant pepper for a mixed homegarden and do not need the top yield | Perennial — first bearing in year 3, full bearing by year 7–8, productive for 20–30 years | 2,570 kg a hectare dry pepper on average and 4.50 kg fresh a vine (KAU booklet); 0.55 kg dry a vine in an Assam arecanut trial | Kerala |
| Panniyur-5 | Arecanut, coconut or tree-shaded gardens where a shade-tolerant, many-spiked pepper is needed | Perennial — first bearing in year 3, full bearing by year 7–8, productive for 20–30 years | 1.25 kg dry pepper a vine in an Assam arecanut trial (best of 12); KAU booklet gives 1,107 kg a hectare on average | Kerala, Karnataka |
| Panniyur-6 | Farmers who sell pepper by weight and want bold berries and many spikes, not high extract content | Perennial — first bearing in year 3, full bearing by year 7–8, productive for 20–30 years | 2,127 kg a hectare dry pepper on average and 2.30 kg fresh a vine (KAU booklet) | Kerala |
| PLD-2 | Oleoresin buyers; Kerala plains and higher ground | Perennial; IISR lists it as late maturing (no first-bearing age published) | 2,475 kg dry pepper a hectare on average; 4,731 kg/ha potential; 4.97 kg green pepper a vine (IISR) | Kerala |
| Pournami | Gardens with a history of slow decline, and arecanut or banana intercrops, where root-knot nematode is a worry | Perennial — first bearing in year 3, full bearing by year 7–8, productive for 20–30 years | 2,333 kg a hectare dry pepper on average and 4.70 kg fresh a vine (IISR, KAU); 0.85 kg dry a vine in an Assam arecanut trial | Kerala, Karnataka |
| Sreekara | Farmers who sell to extractors and want high oleoresin and essential oil, in Kerala, south Karnataka or Tamil Nadu | Perennial — first bearing in year 3, full bearing by year 7–8, productive for 20–30 years | 2,677 kg a hectare dry pepper on average and 4.80 kg fresh a vine (IISR, KAU); 0.70 kg dry a vine in an Assam arecanut trial | Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu |
| Subhakara | Intercropped gardens and higher elevations in Kerala, south Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, where weight and reliability matter more than piperine | Perennial — first bearing in year 3, full bearing by year 7–8, productive for 20–30 years | 2,352 kg a hectare dry pepper on average and 4.20 kg fresh a vine (IISR, KAU); 1.12 kg dry a vine in an Assam arecanut trial (third of 12) | Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu |
Tools for this crop
The numbers you need next: how much seed to buy, whether the lot germinates, what the fertilizer bill looks like and what Black Pepper (Kali Mirch) is selling for.
- Seed Rate CalculatorHow much seed your Black Pepper (Kali Mirch) plot needs, corrected for the germination of the lot you bought.
- Germination CalculatorTest 100 seeds from the bag before sowing and see whether the lot is fit to sow.
- Seed Variety FinderFilter every Black Pepper (Kali Mirch) variety on this site by state, season, duration and soil.
- Fertilizer CalculatorTurn the NPK recommendation for Black Pepper (Kali Mirch) into bags of urea, DAP and MOP for your field size.
- Crop CalendarMonth-by-month sowing, weeding, irrigation and harvest dates for Black Pepper (Kali Mirch) in your state.
- Crop Profit CalculatorPut your seed, labour and input costs against the yield you expect from this variety.
- Mandi Price CheckerToday's Black Pepper (Kali Mirch) rate in your nearest mandi, before you fix a price with a trader.
Subsidy and government support
Schemes that help with the cost of Black Pepper (Kali Mirch) seed or planting material. Rules and the application route are on each scheme page.
Frequently asked questions
Can I grow Girimunda from seed?
No. It is a hybrid, and IISR says to use only clonal planting material, meaning rooted cuttings. Berries from a hybrid do not give vines like the parent.
Why is Girimunda's piperine so low?
IISR gives piperine of 2.2%, against 5.1% for Sreekara and 5.3% for Pournami, and gives no reason. The variety was released for high altitudes and for yield and stability, and the pepper is milder. If pungency earns you a better price, choose another variety.
Will Girimunda grow on the plains?
IISR recommends it for high altitudes and for coffee and tea estates, and gives no plains result. For the plains, the IISR table lists Sreekara, Panchami and Pournami for Kerala and southern Karnataka, and Shakthi for plains and high ranges under rain-fed conditions.
Which yield figure should I use, 2,880 or 2,800 kg a hectare?
IISR's variety table gives 2,880 kg a hectare and the AICRP on Spices booklet gives 2,800, so the two are close. Use either one only to compare varieties. Your garden's shade, rain, disease and feeding will move the real figure.
Sourced from: IISR-Girimunda (Black Pepper) — ICAR-Indian Institute of Spices Research, Spice varieties: significant characteristics of black pepper varieties — ICAR-IISR (ITM-ABI), Improved Varieties of Black Pepper — AICRP on Spices (Pepper Research Station Panniyur), September 2025. editorial policy.