IISR Manushree
A 2022 IISR germplasm selection, a Malabar type tolerant of moisture stress. IISR gives 550 kg dry capsules a hectare under irrigation and 360 kg under stress, with 50% of capsules above 8 mm and 8.74% to 8.84% essential oil.
Quick facts
- Type
- Rhizome/sucker planting material (Malabar type)
- Season
- All seasons
- Maturity period
- First crop about 2 years after planting (TNAU); IISR gives no days from flowering
- Expected yield
- 550 kg dry capsules/ha under irrigation; 360 kg/ha under moisture stress; potential 1,325 kg/ha (IISR, AICRPS 2024)
- Suitable soil
- Loam
- Release
- Released 2022 · ICAR-IISR, Kozhikode, Kerala
About this variety
IISR Manushree is a Malabar-type cardamom released in 2022 by ICAR-IISR as a selection from germplasm. IISR describes it as tolerant to drought and moisture stress, and the 2025 Indian Horticulture appraisal calls it a stable-yielding, moisture-stress-tolerant variety. It gives 550 kg of dry capsules a hectare under irrigated conditions and 360 kg under moisture stress. About 50% of the capsules are larger than 8 mm. Essential oil is 8.74% under irrigation and 8.84% under moisture stress, and IISR notes that the alpha terpinyl acetate and 1,8-cineole shares do not change much between the two. The drought susceptibility index is 0.89 and the drought tolerance efficiency 70.71%. The AICRPS 2024 sheet lists it as drought tolerant, thrips tolerant and moderately resistant to leaf blight. It gives a clump of 240 to 280 cm with about 120 flowers on a panicle and 90 to 110 capsules, dry recovery of 18.6%, alpha terpinyl acetate of 32.23%, 1,8-cineole of 42.08% and a potential yield of 1,325 kg a hectare.
Should you pick this variety?
Choose IISR Manushree if your cardamom garden goes through dry spells or you cannot irrigate every time. IISR tested it both ways: 550 kg of dry capsules a hectare under irrigation and 360 kg under moisture stress, a drop of about 35% (our arithmetic). IISR calls it a stable-yielding, moisture-stress-tolerant Malabar type, with a drought susceptibility index of 0.89 and a drought tolerance efficiency of 70.71%. The cost is the top yield: 550 kg is below Vijetha at 643 and Appangala 2 at 927, though those are station averages measured another way. IISR gives no Katte or rhizome rot rating. If water is no problem and you want yield, choose Appangala 2 or Avinash.
Key characteristics
Sowing & cultivation
- Sowing timeJune to December is the best planting period (TNAU)
- SpacingIISR gives no spacing for IISR Manushree. 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 IISR Manushree. 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.
- HarvestingIISR gives no ripening days for Manushree. 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 rates it tolerant of moisture stress and gives yields for irrigated and stressed plots. It gives no shade advice, so use TNAU's 50 to 60% shade as the general figure for cardamom. Tolerance to dry spells does not mean you can stop watering young plants.
Yield & maturity
Maturity period
First crop about 2 years after planting (TNAU); IISR gives no days from flowering
Expected yield
550 kg dry capsules/ha under irrigation; 360 kg/ha under moisture stress; potential 1,325 kg/ha (IISR, AICRPS 2024)
Actual yield depends on sowing time, soil, irrigation, weather, seed quality and crop management.
Pest & disease considerations
Major diseases
- Moisture stress (highly tolerant, AICRPS 2024)
- Leaf blight (moderately resistant, AICRPS 2024)
- Katte mosaic (not rated by IISR; the Katte-resistant IISR releases are Vijetha and Appangala 2)
- Azhukal capsule rot (not rated by IISR)
- Rhizome rot (not rated by IISR)
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
- Tolerant of moisture stress: 360 kg a hectare under stress against 550 under irrigation, with a drought susceptibility index of 0.89.
- 8.74% to 8.84% essential oil, above Vijetha (7.9%), Avinash (6.7%) and Appangala 2 (6.3%).
- The oil makeup stays much the same in wet and dry conditions, as IISR notes.
Things to consider
- The lowest yield of the IISR cardamom releases compared here, 550 kg a hectare under irrigation, though the figures were measured differently.
- Only half the capsules are above 8 mm, and IISR gives no 7.2 mm bold share to compare with Vijetha (77%) or Appangala-1 (89%).
- IISR gives no Katte, rhizome rot or Azhukal rating, and no days from flowering.
Suitable regions
AICRPS 2024 gives all cardamom-growing tracts of Kerala and Karnataka as the areas of adoption.
- Kerala
- Karnataka
What the moisture-stress numbers say, in plain words
IISR gives three numbers for Manushree's dry-spell behaviour. The first is the plain yield: 550 kg of dry capsules a hectare when the plants are irrigated and 360 kg when they are kept short of water. That is about a third less, by our arithmetic, and it is the honest cost of a dry spell even for a tolerant variety.
The other two are standard breeding measures. The drought susceptibility index is 0.89. An index below 1 normally means a line loses less yield under stress than the average of the lines it was tested with, so lower is better. The drought tolerance efficiency is 70.71%, where higher is better. IISR does not say which lines Manushree was compared with, so read these as signs and not as a guarantee.
For you the lesson is small but useful. Manushree gives you a safer crop in a dry year, not a bigger one. If your water supply is reliable, a higher-yielding release such as Appangala 2 gives more. If your garden runs short of water most summers, Manushree is the one IISR built for that.
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 IISR Manushree 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) | 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 Manushreethis page | 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 Manushree better than Vijetha in a dry year?
IISR built Manushree for moisture stress and measured 360 kg a hectare under stress. IISR has no moisture-stress figure for Vijetha, which it recommends for moderate rainfall and moderate to high shade and for Katte areas. So we cannot compare them in a dry year. Manushree has no Katte rating, and Vijetha does.
What yield should I expect from Manushree?
IISR gives 550 kg of dry capsules a hectare under irrigation and 360 kg under moisture stress. These are IISR trial figures. TNAU gives 200 to 250 kg a hectare as the ordinary farm yield for cardamom, so a farm will usually land well below a trial figure.
Does Manushree have bold capsules?
IISR says about 50% of the capsules are larger than 8 mm. Its other releases are counted at 7.2 mm: 77% for Vijetha and 89% for Appangala-1. Because the thresholds differ, the numbers are not side by side. Ask a nursery or the Appangala station how Manushree capsules grade.
Where can I get Manushree planting material?
IISR does not list a licensee for Manushree on the pages we found. The Indian Horticulture appraisal gives the contact for the variety as ICAR-IISR Regional Station, Appangala, Madikeri 571 201, Karnataka, and ICAR-IISR, Kozhikode 673 012, Kerala. Ask them for licensed nurseries before you buy from a stranger.
Sourced from: 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), AICRPS 2024 improved varieties sheet — AICRP on Spices, Cardamom — TNAU Agritech Portal, Production of quality planting materials — Kerala Agricultural University (CELKAU). editorial policy.