Comparative Evaluation of Growth Attributes in Three Major Cultivars of Small Cardamom [Elettaria cardamomum (L.) Maton] during the Early Growth Stage

An evaluation of three natural cultivars of small cardamom [Elettaria cardamomum (L.) Maton], namely Malabar, Mysore, and Vazhukka, was conducted during the secondary nursery stage at the Cardamamom Research Station, Pampadumpara, to assess variations in growth attributes. Observations on tiller height, tiller thickness, tiller number, number of leaves per clump, leaf length and width, emerging bud number, and dry matter content of leaves and pseudostems were recorded at 4, 8, and 12 months after planting (MAP). Tiller height, tiller thickness, and the number of tillers increased progressively with growth across all cultivars. Mysore consistently recorded the highest tiller height and dry matter accumulation, followed by Vazhukka, while Malabar exhibited the greatest number of tillers and emerging buds. Significant differences were observed among cultivars for tiller thickness at early stages and for dry matter content of leaves and pseudostems. The study highlights the importance of nursery stage evaluation in understanding early growth dynamics of these cultivars in guiding the selection of suitable cultivars for field establishment and productivity optimization.