MCC-16
A Vazhukka-type line from the Spices Board's ICRI at Myladumpara, Idukki. KAU lists profusely branched, semi-erect compound panicles and globose green capsules, recommended for irrigated or swampy areas in the Kadamkuzhy and Udumbanchola zones, with a yield potential of 650 kg a hectare.
Quick facts
- Type
- Rhizome/sucker planting material (Vazhukka type)
- Season
- All seasons
- Maturity period
- No bearing age given for MCC-16; TNAU gives the first crop about 2 years after planting for cardamom in general
- Expected yield
- Yield potential 650 kg/ha (KAU variety table); no rainfed or irrigated split given
- Suitable soil
- Loam
- Release
- Released by ICRI (Spices Board), Myladumpara, Idukki · year not given in any source read
About this variety
MCC-16 is a Vazhukka-type small cardamom listed in Kerala Agricultural University's table of high-yielding varieties and selections. KAU gives its source as the Indian Cardamom Research Institute (ICRI), Spices Board, Myladumpara, Idukki. It describes a profusely branched, compound, semi-erect panicle and globose green capsules, recommended for irrigated or swampy areas and adaptable to the Kadamkuzhy and Udumbanchola zones of Kerala. The yield potential in the table is 650 kg a hectare. KAU calls the Vazhukka group the natural hybrid of the Malabar and Mysore types, with sturdy plants and bold globose or ovoid capsules. No source read gives a rainfed or irrigated yield, dry recovery, oil percentage, disease rating, release year or parentage for MCC-16.
Should you pick this variety?
Choose MCC-16 if your plot is in the Kadamkuzhy or Udumbanchola zones of Kerala and the ground is irrigated or stays wet. KAU recommends it for exactly that, and it is the one of the three MCC lines it names for wet ground. Its potential, 650 kg a hectare, is the highest of the three (MCC-12 is 620, MCC-40 is 443 rainfed). The panicles are profusely branched and compound, which is why the line is worth a trial. Against that, there is no disease rating, oil, dry recovery, release year or parentage in any source read, and no result from outside Kerala. Wet ground also invites rhizome rot, so build drainage channels first.
Key characteristics
Sowing & cultivation
- Sowing timeJune to December is the best planting period (TNAU)
- SpacingNo spacing is given for MCC-16. 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. A profusely branched Vazhukka clump needs room, so ask ICRI which one it advises.
- FertilizerNo separate dose is given for MCC-16. 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.
- HarvestingNo harvest timing is given for MCC-16. TNAU: pick ripe capsules every 15 to 25 days, with the peak in October-November.
Soil & climate
Soil
- Suitable soil
- Forest loam; acidic. KAU recommends the line for irrigated or swampy ground, so the drainage channel is the part you build, not the part you skip
- pH
- 5.0 to 6.5 (TNAU)
Climate
- Climate
- KAU names the Kadamkuzhy and Udumbanchola zones of Kerala and gives no rainfall or altitude range. TNAU asks 50 to 60% shade for cardamom in general.
Yield & maturity
Maturity period
No bearing age given for MCC-16; TNAU gives the first crop about 2 years after planting for cardamom in general
Expected yield
Yield potential 650 kg/ha (KAU variety table); no rainfed or irrigated split given
Actual yield depends on sowing time, soil, irrigation, weather, seed quality and crop management.
Pest & disease considerations
Major diseases
Management notes
- Wet or swampy ground: cut drainage channels so water moves through and does not stand around the clump. Standing water is what lets rhizome rot in.
- Katte: control the banana aphid with an insecticide your KVK or the Spices Board recommends, and remove any clump with pale flecks or stripes along the leaf veins.
- 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
- Recommended by KAU for irrigated or swampy areas, the one of the three MCC lines named for wet ground.
- Profusely branched, compound, semi-erect panicles (KAU).
- Yield potential of 650 kg a hectare, the highest of the three MCC lines in KAU's table.
Things to consider
- Named for only two zones of Kerala: Kadamkuzhy and Udumbanchola. Outside them there is no result.
- No disease rating, oil, dry recovery, release year or parentage in any source read.
- Wet ground raises the rhizome rot risk, so drainage matters more here than for a dry-site line.
Suitable regions
KAU names the Kadamkuzhy and Udumbanchola zones of Kerala.
- Kerala
Swampy ground is not the same as standing water
KAU recommends MCC-16 for irrigated or swampy areas, and that wording can mislead. Cardamom roots still want forest loam that drains (TNAU gives pH 5.0 to 6.5, well drained). Read swampy as ground that stays moist from seepage, not ground where water pools around the rhizome. Dig the pit, then walk the plot after a heavy shower. If water stays in the pit for a day, cut a channel before you plant.
Check your zone as well. KAU names Kadamkuzhy and Udumbanchola, and nothing else, so a plot in another Kerala tract is outside the record. Ask ICRI Myladumpara for the station result, and plant a trial block before you commit the whole garden. KAU's 650 kg a hectare is a station potential; TNAU gives 200 to 250 kg a hectare as the ordinary farm yield.
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-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-16this page | 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
What is MCC-16?
A Vazhukka-type small cardamom from the Spices Board's ICRI at Myladumpara, Idukki. KAU lists it with profusely branched compound semi-erect panicles and globose green capsules, recommended for irrigated or swampy areas, with a yield potential of 650 kg a hectare.
Can I grow MCC-16 outside Kadamkuzhy and Udumbanchola?
KAU names only those two zones as where it is adaptable, and we found no trial from elsewhere. Another Kerala tract may suit it, but no figure says so. Plant a small block first and compare it with the line you already grow.
Is MCC-16 safe on swampy land with rhizome rot around?
No rhizome rot rating is published for it. KAU recommends it for irrigated or swampy areas, but rot follows standing water in any cardamom. Cut drainage channels, plant on a slight rise inside the pit, and rogue any clump that yellows and rots at the base.
MCC-16 yields 650 and MCC-12 yields 620. Is MCC-16 better?
Not on that number alone. The two figures are station potentials from one table, 30 kg a hectare apart, with no trial years or plot sizes behind them. The lines are built for different ground: MCC-16 for irrigated or swampy land, MCC-12 for sparse shade. Choose by your ground, not by the 30 kg.
Sourced from: Varieties of cardamom — Kerala Agricultural University (CELKAU), Research highlights, varieties by zone — Spices Board India, Cardamom — TNAU Agritech Portal. editorial policy.