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Black Pepper (Kali Mirch)All seasonsHybrid pepper variety (rooted cuttings)Updated 28 August 2026

Panniyur-1

The first improved pepper variety in India тАФ a hybrid (Uthirankotta ├Ч Cheriyakaniakadan) released in 1971 by KAU Pepper Research Station, Panniyur. High yielding and bold-berried but best in the open, and susceptible to heavy shade and drought.

SeasonAll seasons
Maturity periodPerennial тАФ first bearing in year 3, full bearing by year 7тАУ8, productive for 20тАУ30 years
Expected yieldHigh in the open тАФ around 1,200+ kg/ha of dry pepper under good management
Suitable soilWell-drained forest loam / laterite, humus-rich, acidic pH 4.5тАУ6.0

Quick facts

Crop
Black Pepper (Kali Mirch)
Type
Hybrid pepper variety (rooted cuttings)
Season
All seasons
Maturity period
Perennial тАФ first bearing in year 3, full bearing by year 7тАУ8, productive for 20тАУ30 years
Seed rate
Not a seed crop тАФ 2тАУ3 rooted cuttings per standard, standards at about 3 ├Ч 3 m (roughly 1,100 vines/ha)
Expected yield
High in the open тАФ around 1,200+ kg/ha of dry pepper under good management
Suitable soil
Well-drained forest loam / laterite, humus-rich, acidic pH 4.5тАУ6.0
Release
Released in 1971 by KAU Pepper Research Station, Panniyur; India's first improved (hybrid) pepper variety

About this variety

Panniyur-1 was the first improved black-pepper variety released in India, a hybrid of Uthirankotta ├Ч Cheriyakaniakadan developed at the Kerala Agricultural University Pepper Research Station, Panniyur, and released in 1971. It has a high yield potential and bold berries, but it performs best in the open or under only light shade and is notably sensitive to heavy shade and to drought тАФ so it suits a well-managed sole crop or an arecanut intercrop rather than a densely shaded coffee understorey.

Key characteristics

    Plant typeHybrid pepper variety (rooted cuttings)
    MaturityPerennial тАФ first bearing in year 3, full bearing by year 7тАУ8, productive for 20тАУ30 years
    Yield potentialHigh in the open тАФ around 1,200+ kg/ha of dry pepper under good management
    Disease resistanceModerate; sensitive to heavy shade and drought
    SoilWell-drained forest loam / laterite, humus-rich, acidic pH 4.5тАУ6.0
    SeasonAll seasons

Sowing & cultivation

  • Sowing timePlant rooted cuttings at the standard with the first monsoon showers, roughly MayтАУJune
  • Seed rateNot a seed crop тАФ 2тАУ3 rooted cuttings per standard, standards at about 3 ├Ч 3 m (roughly 1,100 vines/ha)
  • SpacingStandards about 3 ├Ч 3 m for a dedicated garden; one vine per arecanut palm or tree standard as an intercrop
  • Sowing methodPlant 2тАУ3 rooted cuttings on the northern side of each standard, mulch the base, and tie every new flush to the standard as it grows
  • IrrigationWater young vines through their first dry seasons; Panniyur-1 is drought-sensitive, so summer irrigation of bearing vines (increasingly by drip) markedly helps where water is available
  • Fertilizer5тАУ10 kg farmyard manure per vine each year with a thick pre-monsoon mulch, plus an NPK dose built up to about 50:50:150 g N:P2O5:K2O per vine per year, applied in two splits
  • HarvestingHand-pick spikes in several rounds from November to February for black pepper тАФ when one or two berries in a spike turn yellow or red; about a third of the green weight is recovered as dry pepper

Soil & climate

Soil

Suitable soil
Well-drained forest loam or laterite rich in humus, on a slope; plant on the high side or a mound
pH
4.5тАУ6.0

Climate

Climate
Best in the open or under light shade; heavy shade cuts its flowering and yield, and it is more drought-sensitive than the shade-tolerant varieties

Yield & maturity

Maturity period

Perennial тАФ first bearing in year 3, full bearing by year 7тАУ8, productive for 20тАУ30 years

Expected yield

High in the open тАФ around 1,200+ kg/ha of dry pepper under good management

Actual yield depends on sowing time, soil, irrigation, weather, seed quality and crop management.

Pest & disease considerations

Management notes

  • Plant on well-drained ground and run the prophylactic foot-rot programme тАФ this is the decision that keeps the vine alive
  • Provide summer irrigation where possible, since Panniyur-1 is drought-sensitive
  • Do not use it under a heavy coffee canopy тАФ choose Panniyur-5 or an IISR selection for that

Advantages & considerations

Why farmers may choose it

  • High yield potential in the open тАФ India's benchmark improved pepper
  • Bold berries with good market acceptance
  • Its open habit reduces pollu disease and pollu-beetle pressure

Things to consider

  • Sensitive to heavy shade тАФ a poor choice for a coffee understorey intercrop
  • Drought-sensitive тАФ needs summer irrigation in a tract with a long dry season
  • No special resistance to foot rot or slow decline тАФ the standard preventive package still applies

Suitable regions

Open or lightly shaded, well-managed sole or arecanut-intercrop pepper gardens

  • Kerala
  • Karnataka
  • Tamil Nadu

Frequently asked questions

Is Panniyur-1 suitable for growing under coffee?

No. Panniyur-1 is bred for open or lightly shaded cultivation and performs poorly under the heavy shade of a coffee canopy. For an intercrop under coffee or dense arecanut, choose a shade-tolerant variety such as Panniyur-5, Panniyur-2, or an ICAR-IISR clonal selection like Sreekara or Subhakara.

When was Panniyur-1 released?

In 1971, from the Kerala Agricultural University Pepper Research Station at Panniyur тАФ it was the first improved (hybrid) black-pepper variety released in India.

Sourced from: ICAR-Indian Institute of Spices Research (IISR), Kozhikode, Kerala Agricultural University тАФ Pepper Research Station, Panniyur. editorial policy.