Appangala-1 (Suvasini)
IISR's 1997 Malabar-type selection from open-pollinated progeny of CL-37, also called IISR Suvasini and Kodagu Cardamom-Suvasini. IISR gives 745 kg dry capsules a hectare, 89% bold capsules and 8.7% essential oil, and it is tolerant of thrips and borer.
Quick facts
- Type
- Rhizome/sucker planting material (Malabar type)
- Season
- All seasons
- Maturity period
- 112 days from flowering to ripe capsule (IISR); first crop about 2 years after planting (TNAU)
- Expected yield
- 745 kg dry capsules/ha average; 1,322 kg/ha potential (IISR)
- Suitable soil
- Loam
- Release
- Released 1997 · ICAR-IISR, Regional Station, Appangala, Karnataka
About this variety
Appangala-1 is a Malabar-type cardamom released in 1997 by the ICAR-IISR Regional Station at Appangala, Karnataka, as a selection from open-pollinated progeny of CL-37. IISR's variety page is titled Kodagu Cardamom-Suvasini, and its table calls the variety Appangala 1 or IISR Suvasini. The clump is 205 cm tall with 41 tillers, 37 panicles a clump and 129 flowers on a panicle, and carries 60 capsules on a panicle. Capsules ripen 112 days after flowering, and 89% are bold, 7.2 mm and above. Essential oil is 8.7%, dry recovery 22%, alpha terpinyl acetate 37% and 1,8-cineole 42%. IISR calls it highly adapted, suited to high production technology and responsive to nutritional inputs, and rates it tolerant of thrips and shoot, panicle and capsule borer. It lists 2 licences issued.
Should you pick this variety?
Choose Appangala-1 (Suvasini) if you want a long-tested IISR Malabar release that gives bold capsules and answers well to feeding, for intensive planting on its own or mixed with other crops. IISR gives it 89% bold capsules of 7.2 mm and above, the highest share in its cardamom list, against 77% for Vijetha and 51% for Avinash, and 8.7% essential oil. Capsules ripen 112 days after flowering. The cost is yield and disease cover: 745 kg a hectare on average, against 847 for Avinash and 927 for Appangala 2, and IISR gives no rating for Katte or rhizome rot. If Katte is on your plot choose Vijetha or Appangala 2, and if rhizome rot is the trouble choose Avinash.
Key characteristics
Sowing & cultivation
- Sowing timeJune to December is the best planting period (TNAU)
- SpacingIISR gives no spacing for Appangala-1 (Suvasini). TNAU lists 2.5 x 2 m for larger types and 2 x 1.5 m for smaller types, in pits of 60 x 60 x 60 cm. Ask the Appangala station which one it advises for this variety.
- FertilizerIISR gives no separate dose for Appangala-1 (Suvasini). TNAU gives 25 t/ha compost with 75 kg N, 75 kg P and 150 kg K a hectare, in 2 splits: June-July and October-November.
- HarvestingCapsules ripen about 112 days after flowering. TNAU: pick ripe capsules every 15 to 25 days, with the peak in October-November.
Soil & climate
Soil
- Suitable soil
- Forest loam under shade; acidic and well drained
- pH
- 5.0 to 6.5 (TNAU)
Climate
- Climate
- IISR gives no shade advice for Appangala-1. TNAU gives 50 to 60% shade as moderate and an elevation of 600 to 1,500 m for cardamom in general.
Yield & maturity
Maturity period
112 days from flowering to ripe capsule (IISR); first crop about 2 years after planting (TNAU)
Expected yield
745 kg dry capsules/ha average; 1,322 kg/ha potential (IISR)
Actual yield depends on sowing time, soil, irrigation, weather, seed quality and crop management.
Pest & disease considerations
Major diseases
Major pests
Management notes
- Katte: TNAU says the banana aphid spreads it, so control the aphid with an insecticide your KVK or the Spices Board recommends.
- Remove any clump that shows pale flecks or stripes along the leaf veins. Do not take suckers from it.
- Azhukal: TNAU gives 3 sprays of 1% Bordeaux mixture, 0.25% copper oxychloride or 0.2% mancozeb before the monsoon in early August and again in September.
Advantages & considerations
Why farmers may choose it
- 89% bold capsules of 7.2 mm and above, the highest share in IISR's cardamom list.
- 8.7% essential oil, above Vijetha (7.9%), Avinash (6.7%) and Appangala 2 (6.3%).
- Tolerant of thrips and of shoot, panicle and capsule borer; responds well to feeding.
Things to consider
- Lower average yield than Avinash (847) and Appangala 2 (927): 745 kg dry capsules a hectare.
- IISR gives no Katte or rhizome rot rating, so it is not the pick for plots with either.
Suitable regions
IISR's variety page gives all cardamom-growing tracts of Karnataka, and its landmark page adds Wayanad in Kerala.
- Karnataka
- Kerala
One variety, three names: Appangala-1, Suvasini and Kodagu Cardamom
Ask for this variety at three nurseries and you may hear three names. IISR's variety page is titled Kodagu Cardamom-Suvasini. IISR's landmark-technologies page calls it Appangala-1, and its variety table calls it Appangala 1 or IISR Suvasini. All three carry the same description: a selection from open-pollinated progeny of CL-37, 745 kg dry capsules a hectare, 112 days from flowering, 89% bold capsules.
Do not mix it up with the varieties that sound close. Appangala 2 is a separate hybrid with Katte resistance, released after it. CCS-1 is a different line from the same Appangala station, listed by KAU, and our CCS-1 page explains why its label is uncertain. Coorg Cardamom-1 appears in KAU's table beside Suvasini with the same oil figures, which is one more reason to confirm the label.
The practical check is simple. Ask the nursery for the mother-clump source, ask if it matches IISR's description of 89% bold capsules and 112 days from flowering, and ask for it by two names so a mix-up shows.
Can you save seed from this crop?
It is not grown from seed. KAU says rhizomes with at least 3 shoots are used, and that sucker planting can spread Katte. Where Katte is widespread KAU says seedlings are safer, because the virus is not carried in seed. For Appangala-1 (Suvasini) itself, take suckers only from clumps that have shown no mosaic through a full season.
How it compares with other varieties
Every Cardamom (Elaichi) variety with a page on this site, side by side. The row for this page is highlighted.
| Variety | Best for | Starts bearing | Yield | States |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Appangala 2 | Katte areas; highest station yield | 120 days from flowering to ripe capsule (IISR); first crop about 2 years after planting (TNAU) | 927 kg dry capsules/ha average; 1,393 kg/ha potential (IISR) | Karnataka, Kerala |
| Appangala-1 (Suvasini)this page | Bold capsules and high oil; intensive planting | 112 days from flowering to ripe capsule (IISR); first crop about 2 years after planting (TNAU) | 745 kg dry capsules/ha average; 1,322 kg/ha potential (IISR) | Karnataka, Kerala |
| CCS-1 | Early crop; close planting | Early maturing (KAU); first crop about 2 years after planting (TNAU) | 1,156 kg/ha potential (KAU table); no average published under the name CCS-1 | Karnataka, Kerala |
| ICRI-1 | South Idukki gardens with even rainfall that want a bold-capsule Malabar type | Early maturing (KAU); first crop about 2 years after planting (TNAU) | 325 kg dry capsules/ha rainfed and 650 kg/ha irrigated (TNAU eAgri); KAU lists a yield potential of 656 kg/ha | Kerala |
| ICRI-2 | Irrigated, higher-altitude gardens in Vandanmedu, Nelliampathy, Annamalai and Meghamalai | First crop about 2 years after planting (TNAU); no days to maturity given | 375 kg dry capsules/ha rainfed and 760 kg/ha irrigated (TNAU eAgri); KAU lists a yield potential of 766 kg/ha | Kerala, Tamil Nadu |
| ICRI-3 | Karnataka cardamom tracts where rhizome rot is the worry | Early maturing (KAU); first crop about 2 years after planting (TNAU) | Yield potential 790 kg dry capsules/ha (KAU variety table); no rainfed or irrigated split given | Karnataka |
| IISR Avinash | Rhizome-rot plots and valleys | 115 days from flowering to ripe capsule (IISR); first crop about 2 years after planting (TNAU) | 847 kg dry capsules/ha average; 1,483 kg/ha potential (IISR) | Karnataka, Kerala |
| IISR Kaveri | Karnataka gardens that want oil-rich capsules and some drought cover | First crop about 2 years after planting (TNAU); IISR gives no days from flowering | 482 kg dry capsules/ha under irrigation; 308 kg/ha under moisture stress; potential 562.5 kg/ha (IISR, AICRPS 2024) | Karnataka |
| IISR Manushree | Gardens with dry spells or limited water | First crop about 2 years after planting (TNAU); IISR gives no days from flowering | 550 kg dry capsules/ha under irrigation; 360 kg/ha under moisture stress; potential 1,325 kg/ha (IISR, AICRPS 2024) | Kerala, Karnataka |
| IISR Vijetha | Katte-hit plots; bold capsules | 105 days from flowering to ripe capsule (IISR); first crop about 2 years after planting (TNAU) | 643 kg dry capsules/ha average; 979 kg/ha potential (IISR) | Karnataka, Kerala |
| MCC-12 | Kerala gardens where the shade trees are thin and you want a Vazhukka line with a named record | No bearing age given for MCC-12; TNAU gives the first crop about 2 years after planting for cardamom in general | Yield potential 620 kg/ha (KAU variety table); no rainfed or irrigated split given | Kerala |
| MCC-16 | Irrigated or wet, swampy cardamom ground in the Kadamkuzhy and Udumbanchola zones of Kerala | No bearing age given for MCC-16; TNAU gives the first crop about 2 years after planting for cardamom in general | Yield potential 650 kg/ha (KAU variety table); no rainfed or irrigated split given | Kerala |
| MCC-40 | Kerala gardens, on rain alone, where you want a Vazhukka line that bears early | Early bearing (KAU), but no age or months given; TNAU gives the first crop about 2 years after planting for cardamom in general | Yield potential 443 kg/ha under rainfed conditions (KAU variety table) | Kerala |
| Mudigere-1 | Compact clump; Malnad hills | First crop about 2 years after planting (TNAU, cardamom in general) | Sources disagree: 1,000 kg/ha potential (KAU table) or 250 to 300 kg/ha (Mudigere college table) | Karnataka |
| Mudigere-2 | Karnataka hills; published average | First crop about 2 years after planting (TNAU, cardamom in general) | 475 kg dry capsules/ha average (KAU, Mudigere station) | Karnataka |
| Njallani (Green Gold) | Idukki hills; very bold capsules | First crop in about 2 years from clonal planting (NIF) | No official figure. NIF claims 1,000 kg/ha; the KAU organic trial gave 324 kg dry capsules/ha | Kerala |
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 Cardamom (Elaichi) is selling for.
- Seed Rate CalculatorHow much seed your Cardamom (Elaichi) plot needs, corrected for the germination of the lot you bought.
- Seed Variety FinderFilter every Cardamom (Elaichi) variety on this site by state, season, duration and soil.
- Fertilizer CalculatorTurn the NPK recommendation for Cardamom (Elaichi) into bags of urea, DAP and MOP for your field size.
- Crop Profit CalculatorPut your seed, labour and input costs against the yield you expect from this variety.
- Mandi Price CheckerToday's Cardamom (Elaichi) rate in your nearest mandi, before you fix a price with a trader.
Subsidy and government support
Schemes that help with the cost of Cardamom (Elaichi) seed or planting material. Rules and the application route are on each scheme page.
Frequently asked questions
Is Appangala-1 the same as Suvasini?
IISR describes them as one variety. Its variety page is titled Kodagu Cardamom-Suvasini, its landmark page calls it Appangala-1, and its table calls it Appangala 1 or IISR Suvasini, with the same 745 kg a hectare and 89% bold capsules. Confirm the label with your nursery, since other names such as Coorg Cardamom-1 are also in use.
Which year was Appangala-1 released?
Appangala-1 was released in 1997 by the ICAR-IISR Regional Station at Appangala, Karnataka. IISR's variety page and landmark page both give 1997. If you see 1993 against this variety in an IISR variety table, treat 1997 as the release year.
What does 89% bold capsules mean?
IISR counts a capsule as bold at 7.2 mm and above, and says 89% of this variety's capsules reach that. For Vijetha it gives 77% and for Avinash 51%. A bigger bold share usually means more of the crop in the top size grade. IISR gives no price figure, so ask your local auction centre how it prices the grades.
Is Appangala-1 resistant to Katte?
IISR gives it no Katte rating. It lists the variety as tolerant of thrips and of shoot, panicle and capsule borer only. For a Katte plot IISR points to Vijetha and Appangala 2, which it rates resistant.
Sourced from: Kodagu Cardamom-Suvasini (Small Cardamom) — ICAR-Indian Institute of Spices Research, Landmark Technologies: cardamom varieties — ICAR-IISR, Spice varieties: significant characteristics of cardamom varieties — ICAR-IISR (ITM-ABI), An appraisal of ICAR-IISR released varieties in spices — Indian Horticulture, July-August 2025 (Shivakumar and others), Cardamom — TNAU Agritech Portal, Production of quality planting materials — Kerala Agricultural University (CELKAU). editorial policy.