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Black Pepper (Kali Mirch)All seasonsClonal selection (rooted cuttings)Updated 28 August 2026

Pournami

An ICAR-IISR selection noted for tolerance to the root-knot nematode, which is part of the slow-decline complex — a useful choice where slow decline has been a problem.

SeasonAll seasons
Maturity periodPerennial — first bearing in year 3, full bearing by year 7–8, productive for 20–30 years
Expected yieldHigh
Suitable soilWell-drained forest loam / laterite, humus-rich, acidic pH 4.5–6.0

Quick facts

Crop
Black Pepper (Kali Mirch)
Type
Clonal selection (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, about 3 × 3 m standards
Expected yield
High
Suitable soil
Well-drained forest loam / laterite, humus-rich, acidic pH 4.5–6.0
Release
Released by ICAR-IISR, Kozhikode; selected for root-knot nematode tolerance

About this variety

Pournami is a clonal selection released by ICAR-Indian Institute of Spices Research, Kozhikode, notable for its tolerance to the root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne incognita), one of the organisms in the slow-decline complex that kills pepper vines gradually. It is a high-yielding variety and a useful choice for a garden with a history of slow decline, though it still needs the general foot-rot prevention programme.

Key characteristics

    Plant typeClonal selection (rooted cuttings)
    MaturityPerennial — first bearing in year 3, full bearing by year 7–8, productive for 20–30 years
    Yield potentialHigh
    Disease resistanceTolerant to the root-knot nematode; moderate to other problems
    SoilWell-drained forest loam / laterite, humus-rich, acidic pH 4.5–6.0
    SeasonAll seasons

Sowing & cultivation

  • Sowing timePlant with the first monsoon showers, roughly May–June
  • Seed rateNot a seed crop — 2–3 rooted cuttings per standard, about 3 × 3 m standards
  • 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, and tie in every flush; still start from clean, nematode-free cuttings
  • IrrigationWater young vines through their first dry seasons; summer irrigation of bearing vines where available
  • Fertilizer5–10 kg farmyard manure per vine with a pre-monsoon mulch, neem cake to the root zone against nematodes, plus an adult NPK dose of about 50:50:150 g per vine per year
  • HarvestingHand-pick spikes in several rounds from November to February for black pepper

Soil & climate

Soil

Suitable soil
Well-drained forest loam or laterite; a good fit for soils with a nematode history
pH
4.5–6.0

Climate

Climate
Its value is nematode tolerance in a slow-decline situation; foot rot resistance is not part of the package, so drainage and fungicide remain essential

Yield & maturity

Maturity period

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

Expected yield

High

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

Pest & disease considerations

Management notes

  • Use it where slow decline is established, but still start from clean cuttings and add neem cake and bio-agents
  • Its nematode tolerance does not cover foot rot — drainage, mound planting and the fungicide programme are still required

Advantages & considerations

Why farmers may choose it

  • Tolerant to the root-knot nematode — a real edge in a slow-decline-prone garden
  • High yield
  • A targeted ICAR-IISR recommendation for a specific problem

Things to consider

  • Tolerance is to the root-knot nematode only — not to foot rot, the burrowing nematode or drought
  • In a garden with no slow-decline history, Sreekara or Subhakara are the simpler standard choice

Suitable regions

Gardens where slow decline (root-knot nematode) has been a problem

  • Kerala
  • Karnataka

Frequently asked questions

When should I plant Pournami?

When your garden, or a garden you are replanting, has a history of slow decline — the gradual yellowing, defoliation and dieback caused by root-knot nematodes with Fusarium. Pournami is tolerant to the root-knot nematode, which helps in that situation. It does not resist foot rot, so the drainage and fungicide programme still has to be run in full.

Sourced from: ICAR-Indian Institute of Spices Research (IISR), Kozhikode, Spices Board India. editorial policy.