ICRI-1
A Malabar-type variety released by the Spices Board's Indian Cardamom Research Institute at Myladumpara. KAU describes it as early maturing and profusely flowering, with extra bold, dark green, globose capsules. About 650 kg of dry capsules a hectare under irrigation, 325 rainfed.
Quick facts
- Type
- Rhizome/sucker planting material (Malabar type)
- Season
- All seasons
- Maturity period
- Early maturing (KAU); first crop about 2 years after planting (TNAU)
- Expected yield
- 325 kg dry capsules/ha rainfed and 650 kg/ha irrigated (TNAU eAgri); KAU lists a yield potential of 656 kg/ha
- Suitable soil
- Loam
- Release
- Released by ICRI (Spices Board), Myladumpara, Idukki, Kerala · year not given in any source read
About this variety
ICRI-1 is a Malabar-type small cardamom released by the Indian Cardamom Research Institute (ICRI) of the Spices Board at Myladumpara, Idukki. KAU describes it as an early maturing, profusely flowering variety with a medium-sized panicle and globose, extra bold, dark green capsules, adapted to the south Idukki zone of Kerala where rainfall is well distributed. TNAU's eAgri lecture gives 325 kg of dry capsules a hectare rainfed and 650 kg irrigated, with 22.9% dry recovery and 8.3% essential oil. KAU's table lists a yield potential of 656 kg a hectare, which agrees with the irrigated figure to within a few kilos. Neither source gives a release year, parentage or any disease rating. The Spices Board lists ICRI-1 with ICRI-2, 5, 6 and 7 as its releases for the Kerala zone.
Should you pick this variety?
Choose ICRI-1 if your garden is in south Idukki, rainfall is well spread through the year, and you want a Malabar type that flowers early and heavily with extra bold capsules. It fits a Kerala garden better than the IISR lines that are recommended mainly for Karnataka. The figures are older than IISR's: 650 kg a hectare irrigated and 325 rainfed, with no disease rating at all. If Katte is in your area, ask the Spices Board for a line with a rating (Vijetha or Appangala 2 from IISR), and if you farm above 1,000 m with irrigation look at ICRI-2.
Key characteristics
Sowing & cultivation
- Sowing timeJune to December is the best planting period (TNAU)
- SpacingNo spacing is given for ICRI-1. 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. As a Malabar type with extra bold capsules, ask ICRI Myladumpara which one it advises.
- FertilizerNo separate dose is given for ICRI-1. 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.
- HarvestingKAU calls it early maturing but gives no days. 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
- KAU places it in south Idukki, where rain is well spread through the year. It gives no shade advice, so use TNAU's 50 to 60% shade as the general figure for cardamom.
Yield & maturity
Maturity period
Early maturing (KAU); first crop about 2 years after planting (TNAU)
Expected yield
325 kg dry capsules/ha rainfed and 650 kg/ha irrigated (TNAU eAgri); KAU lists a yield potential of 656 kg/ha
Actual yield depends on sowing time, soil, irrigation, weather, seed quality and crop management.
Pest & disease considerations
Major diseases
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. ICRI-1 has no tolerance rating, so do not skip them.
Advantages & considerations
Why farmers may choose it
- Early maturing and profusely flowering (KAU).
- Extra bold, dark green globose capsules (KAU).
- 650 kg of dry capsules a hectare irrigated, well above the 200 to 250 kg/ha TNAU gives as the ordinary farm yield.
Things to consider
- No disease rating, release year or parentage in any source read.
- Half the irrigated yield, 325 kg a hectare, is what it gives rainfed.
- Suited to south Idukki with even rainfall; KAU gives no area outside it.
Suitable regions
KAU names the south Idukki zone of Kerala, where rainfall is well spread through the year.
- Kerala
ICRI-1 or ICRI-2: which Myladumpara line for which garden
ICRI-1 and ICRI-2 come from the same institute and are listed together for the Kerala zone, but they are different types. ICRI-1 is a Malabar type for south Idukki, where rain is well spread. ICRI-2 is a Mysore type that KAU says does well under irrigation and at higher altitude, and it names Vandanmedu and Nelliampathy in Kerala and Annamalai and Meghamalai in Tamil Nadu.
On yield the two are close, with ICRI-2 a little ahead: 375 rainfed and 760 irrigated against 325 and 650. Oil is 9% for ICRI-2 and 8.3% for ICRI-1, and dry recovery is 22.5% against 22.9%. ICRI-2 also carries an Azhukal tolerance note and ICRI-1 carries no disease note.
So the rule is altitude and water. A lower-elevation south Idukki garden with even rain suits ICRI-1. A high-altitude or irrigated garden suits ICRI-2.
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. 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) | 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-1this page | 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 the ICRI-1 yield 650 or 656 kg a hectare?
Two tables give two close numbers. TNAU's eAgri lecture says 650 kg of dry capsules a hectare irrigated (325 rainfed). KAU's variety table lists 656 kg a hectare as the yield potential. They are the same yield within a few kilos, and neither is a farm average: TNAU gives 200 to 250 kg/ha as the ordinary farm yield.
Is ICRI-1 a good choice outside Idukki?
KAU names only the south Idukki zone of Kerala, where rainfall is well distributed, and the Spices Board lists it for the Kerala zone. No source gives results from Karnataka or Tamil Nadu. In other tracts start with the variety recommended for that tract.
Does ICRI-1 resist Katte or Azhukal?
No source read gives ICRI-1 a Katte or Azhukal rating. KAU notes Azhukal tolerance for ICRI-2 and rhizome rot tolerance for ICRI-3, but writes nothing against ICRI-1. Follow the standard Bordeaux sprays before and during the monsoon and keep banana aphid under control.
What does "extra bold" mean for the price?
KAU only says the capsules are extra bold, dark green and globose. It gives no grade size in millimetres for ICRI-1, unlike the IISR lines. Bold, green capsules usually fetch a better grade at the auction, but the price depends on the auction day, so check with your buyer or the Spices Board auction centre.
Sourced from: Varieties of cardamom — Kerala Agricultural University (CELKAU), Cardamom lecture, high-yielding varieties — TNAU eAgri, Research highlights, varieties by zone — Spices Board India, Cardamom — TNAU Agritech Portal. editorial policy.