Synonym: Pepper, Piper nigrum, Maricha.

Biological source: Pepper is the dried unripe fruit of perennial climbing vine Piper nigrum

Family: Piperaceae.

Geographical source: It is indigenous and cultivated in South lndia. Indonesia, Brazil, Malaysia

and Sri Lanka.

Cultivation, Collection and Preparation

Propagation: Seed or by propagating cuttings. Planted in March-April by keeping the distance of 3 - 4 metres in either direction.

Rainfall: 250cm Temperature variation of 10° to 40°C is tolerated by the plant.

Altitude: 1200 metres.

Collection: The seed-raised plant starts fruiting after 7 - 8 year and can even survive upto 60 years.

Fertilizers and Manure : An application of dose of about . 100 g of pat ash, 500 g of ammonium sulphate, 1 kg of superphosphate and 10 kg of rotten cattle compost per year far each tree is desirable.

Preparation for the market:

• After processing of green spikes they turn into yellow to orange colour further dried under sunlight.

• To avoid fungal growth and reduce drying time green spikes are boiled for one minute in water.

• This type of product fetches high price in the market.

• White pepper: White variety is also prepared from black pepper. The process involves boiling

• of fully matured dried black-pepper fruits in water for half an hour or steaming the black pepper

Macroscopic characters Roots:

Colour: Blackish-brown or greyish-black.

Odour: Aromatic

Taste: Pungent.

Shape: The berries are 3.5 - 6 mm in diameter; globular, and coarsely reticulately wrinkled with remains of stigma at apex.

Uses:

• Aromatic,

• Stimulant,

• Stomachic and carminative

• Condiment.

• It is reported to enhance the bio-availability of certain drugs.

Substitutes

• Piper attenuatum

• Piper brachystachyum

• Piper longum