Large-scale felling of trees in the Cardamom Hill Reserve (CHR) and unscientific cultivation of ‘land raise’ varieties have resulted in heavy destruction of cardamom plants in the recent rain and wind.
A senior scientist of the Indian Cardamom Research Institute (ICRI) told The Hindu on Monday that there were nearly 20 land raise varieties of cardamom plants preferred by farmers for their high yield.
They did not require the 50 per cent shade needed for congenial growth of the natural forest varieties. The farmers also cultivated such varieties in the open as they were believed to grow robustly in direct sunlight. There was large-scale destruction of trees in the CHR, and this had led to loss of cover soil. Also, when heavy winds lashed, the plants become the first calamity.
For cardamom cultivation to sustain, climate and environment had to be balanced, he said, adding that except for a few, the land raise varieties known for their high yield had not been cleared by the scientific community.
As the farmers could not be given direction on the selection of variety, the land raise varieties were widespread in the CHR. When the trees were cut, direct sunlight started to fall on the soil, resulting in the growth of pests.
To control them, the farmers had to apply large quantities of pesticide, affecting the soil condition and the atmospheric temperature.
The wind too had a direct effect on the plants owing to loss of tree cover.
The uprooting of trees, leading to loss of human lives, was the result of the loose soil on the slopes, he said, adding that the farmers were following unscientific soil protection and farming.
A resource person of the Spices Board of India said that when the trees in the CHR were pruned, the green cover lost resulted in change in atmospheric temperature, which could negatively impact the sustainability of cardamom cultivation.
If the pruning of branches and destruction of trees continued, the sustainability of cardamom cultivation would be in question as the land raise varieties were highly sensitive to atmospheric conditions and pest attack, he warned.
