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Technical Kisanखेती, तकनीक के साथ
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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 — a hybrid (Uthirankotta × 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 — first bearing in year 3, full bearing by year 7–8, productive for 20–30 years
Expected yieldHigh in the open — around 1,200+ kg/ha of dry pepper under good management
Suitable soilWell-drained forest loam / laterite, humus-rich, acidic pH 4.5–6.0

Quick facts

Crop
Black Pepper (Kali Mirch)
Type
Hybrid pepper variety (rooted cuttings)
Season
All seasons
Maturity period
Perennial — first bearing in year 3, full bearing by year 7–8, productive for 20–30 years
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
High in the open — around 1,200+ kg/ha of dry pepper under good management
Suitable soil
Well-drained forest loam / laterite, humus-rich, acidic pH 4.5–6.0
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 × 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 — 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 — first bearing in year 3, full bearing by year 7–8, productive for 20–30 years
    Yield potentialHigh in the open — 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 4.5–6.0
    SeasonAll seasons

Sowing & cultivation

  • Sowing timePlant rooted cuttings at the standard 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)
  • SpacingStandards about 3 × 3 m for a dedicated garden; one vine per arecanut palm or tree standard as an intercrop
  • Sowing methodPlant 2–3 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
  • Fertilizer5–10 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 — 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
4.5–6.0

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 — first bearing in year 3, full bearing by year 7–8, productive for 20–30 years

Expected yield

High in the open — 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 — 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 — choose Panniyur-5 or an IISR selection for that

Advantages & considerations

Why farmers may choose it

  • High yield potential in the open — 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 — a poor choice for a coffee understorey intercrop
  • Drought-sensitive — needs summer irrigation in a tract with a long dry season
  • No special resistance to foot rot or slow decline — 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 — 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 — Pepper Research Station, Panniyur. editorial policy.