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Black Pepper
Piper Nigrum Linn is a viny perrenial plant producing
berry-like and aromatic pungent fruits. It is locally
known as “pamienta” or “paminta” which belongs to
Family Piperaceae. Leaves are thick, green with ovate
shape. Flowers are white and minute which produce
fruits borne on short, hanging spikes 4 to 12 cm. long.
Berry-like fruits are green when unripe and become
red at maturity.
Dried ripe berries become black and wrinkled
constituting black pepper. Black pepper yield both
black and white pepper. Black pepper is made by
drying ripe or unripe fruits under the sun; white pepper
by soaking, treating and removing outer skin of berry
before drying.
Peppercorn is marketed whole or ground. Black pepper
is used as a seasoning in food preparation to enhance
food acceptability. Essential oils cleoresions extracted
from black pepper are used in the preparation of
piperazine elixir, a drug formulation for removal of
round-worms in intestinal tract of human beings.
Varieties of black pepper are classified according to
their respective source of origin, most common are
Batangas, Laguna, Quezon, Davao, Zamboanga or
Basilan black pepper.
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SOIL AND CLIMATE
Black pepper grows in almost all types of soil. However,
it thrives well in loose, well-drained soil. It is best
suited under humid climate with rainfall of 100 to 250
cm and in an elevation of 350 meters above sea level.
CULTURE
Seedbedding
Propagation of black pepper cuttings is prepared in
seedbeds like vegetable crops. Till soil with garden hoe
and reduce soil to very fine tilt. As soil is pulverized, add
fine river sand to make bed more porous. Incorporate
compost to make it more fertile. Drench seedbed
with Captan spray solution at a concentration of 5
level tablespoonfuls Captan per gallon of water. Apply
solution at the rate of one petroleum canful per 5
square meters of bed.
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Propagation
Black pepper is propagated by sowing seed, marcotting
and by stem cutting. Of the three methods, stem cutting
is generally employed using both terminal stem and
lateral branches. Select planting materials from high
yielding hermaphrodite mother plant. Divide stem into
cuttings each with 3-5 internodes and cuttings are
rooted in sandy seedbed under shade. Insert cutting
at 45-degree angle 15 centimeters apart each way.
When cutting has developed 4-7 new leaves, then it is
ready for transplanting in the field.
In marcotting method, secure black pepper branches
on 1/2 inch wide bamboo pegs and cut each of them
at fourth node from top of cacao or mabolo leaf filled
with clean garden soil or moist sphagnum moss. If
plastic sheet is available, cut into, convenient pieces
and use for enclosing soil or moss and tie both ends
with string or vegetable tying material. In 3-4 weeks,
each marcot can be separated from mother plant and
set in the field.
Land Preparation
For backyard planting select well-drained area and
divide into equal areas of 2 x 2 square meter lots. To
each corner of these lots, dig holes 60 cm sq about
40 cm deep, separate topsoil from subsoil. At center
of hole, plant “kakawate” post 4 cm in diameter and
2 meters long for pepper vines to climb on as they
grow. Fill up holes with 50-50 mixture of compost and
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topsoil. For large scale planting whether in cultivated
or newly opened land, choose rolling area to have good
drainage for newly opened area, other crops may be
planted first for at least 3 years to free it from decaying
tree stumps which may be sources of diseases. After 3
years, prepare land as backyard planting.
TRANSPLANTING
Transplant black pepper at the start of rainy season,
800 cm apart from the post with seedlings opposite
each other. Around 3,200 seedlings are needed
per hectare. It starts to bear fruits three years after
planting. Open space can be utilized for planting short-
lived catch crops such as snapbeans, ginger, hot and
sweet pepper at a distance of one meter away from
black pepper rows.
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MANAGEMENT
Black pepper needs weeding, mulching and pruning.
When seedling reaches one or two feet high, nip
off the top growing vine to induce more branching.
Prune old and unproductive branches and crowding
laterals. Farmers engaged in black pepper farming do
not usually use extensive commercial fertilizers, but
to ensure abundant harvest, apply the following rates:
Plant Age
Rate
6 months old 100 grams of 14-14-14
1 year 220 grams of 14-14-14
2 years 500-700 grams of 14-14-14
*Add compost to each hill every 2 to 3 months.
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CONTROL OF
PESTS AND DISEASES
Common pests are leafhoppers, root grubs, and
African snails. Control leafhoppers by spraying with
either Sevin or Malathion at the rate of one level
tablespoonful per gallon of water. Drench hill with
Aldrin spray at a concentration of on tablespoonful
per gallon of water to control grubs. Collect snails and
use them as fertilizer or poison with baits obtained at
BPI.
Black pepper, when properly planted, is not prone to
any serious diseases outbreak.
HARVESTING
Peppercorn (berry-like fruit) matures in 5 to 6 months.
The whole spike is ready for picking when:
- peppercorn in a spike turns cherry-red
- peppercorn turns from dark green to shiny
yellowish green
- peppercorn has brownish cotyledon when
pinched.
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Harvest during sunny days. Open basket or sack used
as container is tied to the waist of harvester. He twirls
the spike with one hand while he holds the peduncle
with the other hand.
DRYING
There are two ways of drying black pepper to yield
two types of black pepper: the black peppercorn and
the white pepper. Black peppercorn is black pepper
dried under the sun or solar radiation to 12 % moisture
content. Spread peppercorn on mat and remove spike,
then peppercorn is winnowed, cleaned and stored in
sacks. To produce white pepper, remove ripe berries
from spikes, place in bags and soak in running water
1 to 2 weeks to soften skin. Remove skin by hands
or by treading on berries with the feet. Wash and dry
immediately smooth, white kernels.
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