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Introduction
In India clove grows well in the open sandy loams and the laterite soils of south Kerala region. Its cultivation is mostly confined to the slopes of the Western Ghats. At present small quantities of cloves are being cultivated in India in the states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka and Andaman & Nicobar Islands Clove is a tropical plant requiring warm and humid condition with a rainfall of 150-250 cms. In India, clove is sown between the months of August - October. They also need partially shaded conditions which is aptly available in the Western Ghats region. Clove requires well-drained, rich and loamy soils. It thrives best in black loams of the semi-forest region. Clove is essentially propagated through the seeds, commonly called as Mother of clove. The seeds are sown within a week of their harvest/collection and dibbled in nursery beds. The seedlings being slender and delicate, need judicious watering. When 6 months old, they are transferred to baskets, then to polythene bags and for further distribution when 1-1 ½ years old. About 240 plants occupy a hectare. Vegetative propagation by grafts has also been attempted with limited success. The Indian Institute of Spices Research has already perfected the technology of vegetative propagation through cutting, budding and grafting and is in a position to produce planting materials for 5,000 trees per year The dwarf variety tree requires a spacing of only 5mx5m against 7mx7m by the conventional trees. This implies that using dwarf variety can double the population of trees. The tree is only 2 metres tall with a canopy of 5 metres against the conventional tree which is 10 12 metres tall. Besides culturing operations like weeding, plant protection, etc are easy to carry out with dwarf trees and to harvest step ladder is not required. This reduces labour costs also. The dwarf variety trees yield about 3 kg dry cloves per year per tree and are much more sturdy and resistant to wind damage than conventional trees. At the time of planting of clove 15 kg of farmyard manure/plant/year is applied and this has to be enhanced gradually in order to reach 40-50 kg/plant/year when it is 15-year-old. Inorganic fertilizer, viz. N, P and K, should be applied @ 20, 18 and 50 g respectively /plant during the first year which is increased to 300, 250 and 750 g/plant/year while it becomes 15 years old Fertilizer can be applied in 2 equal split doses, once during May-June along with organic manure and the second during September-October Irrigation is essential in initial stages, but in later stages, this could be given whenever necessary or as desired. Protocol for micropropagation of nutmeg has been standardized Clove can be grown as mixed crop with arecanut, coconut, etc. The shade cast by these trees protects clove from sun. The tree attains a height of 10 to 12 metres on maturity. Its dark shining green leaves, which appear in pair, are lanceolate, acute at both ends. The flower buds, greenish when fresh, appear at the ends of branches in small clusters. The unopened flower buds are picked green and dried in sun till they are dark brown, to obtain the clove. Good quality cloves are brownish-black, with full and plump crown, somewhat rough to touch but without any wrinkles. Yellowish wrinkled cloves are immature and yield volatile oil poorer in eugenol content which is its main constituent. Quality cloves have fine aroma and flavour and are free from mould and exude oil when their stem is pressed with finger nails. |
