TREE SPECIES USED AS SUPPORTS FOR BLACK PEPPER (Piper nigrum L.) CULTIVATION

Abstract

The use of reliable support (standards) for the successful establishment of black pepper plantations is a common practice in producing countries. Standards are of two types, living and non-living. The use of non-living (dead) standards (reinforced concrete posts, granite pillars and teak poles), though often resulting higher black pepper yields, is less widely practiced,mainly due to the high capital investment required. Therefore, cultivation of black pepper in producing countries is generally done by trailing the vines on live standards.A variety of trees are used as living standards. The most common ones are Erythrina indica, E. lithosperma, Gliricidia sepium, Leucaena leucocephala and Garuga pinnata. Other trees used are Ailanthus malabarica in lower altitudes and Grevillia robusta at higher elevations. In the homesteads of India , black pepper is mostly grown using standard such as mango, jackfruit, coconut,arecanut etc and when interplanted in cardamom and coffee plantations, pepper is trailed on shade trees of that locality. Various tree species used as supports, their effects on yield and their management for black pepper cultivation are discussed.