The Agronomy and Economy of Cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum M.): The “Queen of Spices”

Abstract

Cardamom, popularly known as the “Queen of Spices,” has a checkered history, dating back to the Vedic period (ca. 3000 bc) and is among the ingredients poured into the sacrificial fire during the Hindu marriage. Today cardamom commands a leading position among the spices of immense commercial importance and is finding its way into the dietary habits of millions around the world, even among people on the European and North American continents, hitherto unaccustomed to its use. Cardamom use ranges from a simple dietary constituent to that of immense pharmacological benefits. Although beset with many problems, both agronomic and economic, it is a safe bet that next to black pepper, cardamom will emerge in the world market as a spice of immense commercial importance. Although India was the world leader in cardamom production, starting from the 1970s the country began to slide down both in production and productivity, while Guatemala, took the leading position, although the cardamom produced there is of inferior quality. Among the primary constraints of production, is the absence of an ideotype that combines many positive traits to boost production potential, while at the same time resisting the ravages of the devastating viral disease Katte of the Karnataka State in southern India. Fertility management of cardamom soils is still rooted in classic “textbook knowledge.” This exhaustive chapter covering many aspects of the agronomy and economy of cardamom production, has also a separate chapter on the relevance of “The Nutrient Buffer Power Concept,” developed by the author, in enhancing cardamom productivity. © 2006, Elsevier Inc.