Pattern and variability of black pepper yields in tropical humid climatic conditions

Abstract

Ten improved lines were selected for the study. Six-month-old uniform cuttings one each @ 40 per line was planted on three years old Ailanthus malabarica DC live support during July 1994. The fresh green berry yield was recorded from first bearing (1996-97) year to third bearing year (1998-99). The number of yielding vines, yield per vine and mean yield (g vine-1) and CV (%) varied among lines in all three years of yielding. Yield variability was not consistent over the years for same line and among the line. Irrespective of lines, the CV for yield during I, II and III years were 72.1, 50.1 and 35.6%, respectively. Yield distribution at different percentile values (0.01, 0.25, 0.50, 0.75, 0.90 and 1.0) and number of yielding vines between these percentile values were recorded. On an average, the yield (g vine-1) distribution at different percentile values were 10, 140, 240, 500, 1070, 2620 in first year 10, 270, 560, 1110, 1726, 7500 in second year and for third year, it was 50, 1000, 2450, 5043, 7806, 15250; and number of yielding vines between these percentile yield values were 5.9, 3.7, 4.7,2.4,1.8 for first year, 8.4, 7.7, 8.0,4.3, 3.1 for second year and 8.7, 7.5, 7.4, 4.8, 3.4 for third year. On an average maximum number of yielder was seen under 0.01 to 0.25 percentile yield group in all the three years of yielding and it varies with cultivars. Quantum of yield share also varies with percentile yield groups. The contribution of yield to the total production of lines were maximum from the yield obtained with vines belonging to higher percentile yield groups in spite of being their numbers less. The yield increment was observed from I to II year and II to III year. The mean magnitude of yield increment was 164.9% for I to II year and 259.3% for II to III year. The study quantified the yield variability in black pepper and would form the basis for examining the causes for such variability and develop technologies to overcome it.