Topic 5

AGR 662 (Industrial Crop Production) - Syllabus

Topic 1: Classification of industrial crops based on their uses
Topic 2: Production of oil palm
Topic 3: Production of rubber
Topic 4 : Production of Rice

Mid term break

Topic 5 : Production of Pepper

Topic 6 : Production of Tea and Coffee
Topic 7 : Production of cocoa

Topic 8: Production of other industrial crops (Pineapple)

Topic 9: Production of other industrial crops (Coconut)
Topic 10: Production of other industrial crops (Tobacco & Kenaf)
Topic 11: Production of other industrial crops (Sugarcane)
 Syllabus Content

Topic 5 : Production of pepper

5.1) Economics importance of pepper ?

5.2) Morphology and characteristics ?
5.3) Cultivars, uses and constituents ?
5.4) Ecology and crop requirements ?
5.5) Agronomy and techniques of production of pepper?
 Course Learning Outcomes

1) Verbally and visually (pictures and graphs) relate and

discuss the morphology and characteristics of selected
industrial crops under Malaysia soil and climate.

2) Communicate to peers verbally and to the facilitator in

writing a comprehensive understanding of biology,
ecology, agronomy, crop requirement and technique of
growing industrial crops.

3) Collaborate, motivate and truthful with team members

in both the fieldworks and in the classroom.
 AGR662 : “Entrance/Exit Survey”

N Question Strongly Disagree Agree Strongly

o disagree agree
(1) (2) (3) (4)

1 I can describe the morphology and characteristics of

selected Malaysian industrial crops.

2 I understand comprehensively the biology, ecology,

agronomy, and crop requirement of selected industrial
crops.

3 I can explain the growing technique of the selected

industrial crops.
4 I will be able to discuss with my classmate about all
aspects of selected industrial crops.
 SCIENTIFIC CLASSIFICATION

• Family : Piperaceae
• Genus : Piper
• Species : nigrum
• Scientific name : Piper nigrum
• Common name : Pepper, lada hitam,
lada putih

Piper nigrum
 1. INTRODUCTION

2. SCIENTIFIC
9. PROCESSING
CLASSIFICATION

3. CLIMATE & SOIL

8. HARVESTING
SUITABILITY

PEPPER

7. GENERAL
4. VARIETIES
MAINTENANCES

6. FIELD PLANTING 5. PROPAGATION

 1.0 INTRODUCTION
ORIGIN & DISTRIBUTION
• Pepper is native to India and is
extensively cultivated there and
elsewhere in tropical regions

• One of the earliest spices known to man

• Spices = Dried plant product which add

flavor, relish to food e.g. nutmeg (pala),
ginger etc.
Piper nigrum
Economics importance of pepper
 1.0 MALAYSIA – Pepper Industry ?
• 98% of national pepper production comes from
Sarawak.
• Other producer state – Johor, Kelantan, Kedah &
Sabah.

• Almost all production is exported to Singapore,

Japan, USA, Germany and UK.
• Exporting ;-
# 70% - Black pepper,
# 20% - White pepper,
# 10% - Green peppercorns, pickles etc. Piper nigrum
MALAYSIA – Planted area ?
MALAYSIA Pepper Industry – 2019 ?
Pepper – The Authority ?
 Malaysian Pepper Board
Research
• Malaysian Pepper Board is the main organization entrusted
by the Malaysian government to undertake intensive
research study on pepper (Piper nigrum L.), towards
sustainable pepper industry from different disciplines such
as Biotechnology, Agronomy, Chemistry and development
of value-added pepper products.

• To increase productivity and pepper yield as well as

transforming conventional production line from raw
material processing to value-added products production.
 Malaysian Pepper Board
Function:
• Conduct research and development activities that will contribute to
comprehensive pepper industrial development.
• Develop facilities and infrastructure to support pepper research and
development activities;
• Develop pepper germplasm centre;
• Increase downstream activity in pepper industry through
development and usage of pepper by-products;
• Gathering scientific information for clients;
• Publishing and disseminate scientific information to clients;
• Providing advisory service and technical advisory service;
• Supplying quality pepper cultivation material to meet the needs
and development of pepper cultivation,and
• Carry out research activity and development from time to time
 Malaysian Pepper Board
Upstream sector (Plantation focus):
• Biotechnological research to develop new varieties of
pepper that can produce high yields and resistance to
disease infections as well as pests;
• Production/development of alternative methods in
disease and pest control other than use
• Chemical poison;
• Production of sustainable cultivation practices; and
• Production of environmentally friendly technology.
 Malaysian Pepper Board
Downstream sector (Product focus):
• Food product research and development; and
• Research and development of non -food
products.

• The main activities are as follows:

• Prentify the potential of pepper through biological
experiments; and
• Production of various pepper -based value -added
products.
 Malaysian Pepper Board
Development of Pepper Cultivation:
Function:
• To plan, implement, supervise, monitor and evaluate the Pepper
Cultivation Development Program;

• To plan, implement, supervise, monitor and evaluate the implementation

of the Pepper Quality Improvement Project farm level;

• To plan, implement, supervise, monitor and evaluate the implementation

of Program 1 AZAM (Azam Tani) in Sarawak; and

• To plan, coordinate, manage, supervise, implement and evaluate the

process of procurement and distribution of agricultural inputs.
 Malaysian Pepper Board

Development of Pepper Cultivation:

Activities:

• Skim Tanaman Lada Baharu;

• Skim Tanaman Lada Matang;
• Pengeluaran Lada Premium / Tambah Nilai;
• Pembangunan Modal Insan Pekebun Lada;
• Pengumpulan Data Di Lapangan; and
• Perlindungan Tanaman
 Pepper research –MPB direction ?
RESEARCH

• For the pepper industry to progress, there

must be considerable investment in research:

Increase the yield (fresh berries) from 12,000

kg/ha to 20,000 kg/ha that might be achieved
under good pepper management practices
(GAP).

Piper nigrum
 PRICE OF PEPPER?
https://www.mpb.gov.my/mpb/index.php/en/
• High or Low?
 MORPHOLOGY ?
• A green leafy vine growing as
a ground cover or small
climber

• A branching, woody vine that

is a climber

• Pepper can be trained across

frame or can climb other
plants, walls, etc

• Fruits are called berries

• Dried berries are the black

and white pepper after
processing

Piper nigrum
 MORPHOLOGY ?

Geotropic shoot Orthotropic shoot

Plagiotropic shoot

Main stem

Runner

Types of shoots in pepper

 4.0 VARIETIES
• Almost all the pepper produced in Malaysia are
Kuching variety (90%) originated from India
• Other varieties planted e.g. Sarikei, Semenggok
Emas, Semenggok Perak, Bangka, Belantung and
Djambi

Piper nigrum
 4.0 VARIETIES

Kuching variety Semenggok Emas variety

 3.0 CLIMATE & SOIL SUITABILITY
CLIMATE

• Annual rainfall = 2,500 mm widely distributed

• High relative humidity (RH) = 70 – 80%

• Optimum growth temperature = 22 – 35˚C

• Could not survive in more than 2 months of

draught season due to its shallow roots
Piper nigrum
 3.0 CLIMATE & SOIL SUITABILITY
SOIL

• Thrive well on almost all type of soil except

clay, sandy soil
• Soil pH = 5.0 to 6.5
• Slope = < 15˚
• Successful planting much depends on:
- Good drainage system
- Friable soil (100 cm min. depth)
- Good water holding capacity
- Fertile soil and rich in nutrient
Piper nigrum
 5.0 PROPAGATION
PLANTING MATERIALS

• There are 2 types of planting materials that

can be used in pepper propagation:

1) Germinated seedlings (use seeds)

2) Vegetative cuttings (Regular planting material)

Piper nigrum
 5.0 PROPAGATION
NURSERY TECHNIQUES
• The most common
propagation method in
pepper is by using
vegetative cuttings.

• Propagated by vegetative
cuttings taken from
terminal branches.

• Vegetative cuttings are

taken from 1 - 2 year old
healthy and diseases-free
pepper vine

Piper nigrum
5.0 PROPAGATION - Vegetative cuttings
Healthy and vigorous mother plant

1-node cutting

Lateral branches

Wooden post 2-node cutting

3-node cutting
Soil surface

Cuttings can be taken from 1 –

2 year old pepper vine

4-node cutting
5-node cutting
 5.0 PROPAGATION
NURSERY TECHNIQUES

• 5-node cuttings is
recommended (1, 2, 3, 4-
node can also be used).

• These cuttings need to be

sown in nursery before
being transplanted to the
field

Piper nigrum
 5.0 PROPAGATION
PROPAGATION TECHNIQUES: VEGETATIVE CUTTINGS

Single-node cutting planted in polybag

 5.0 PROPAGATION
PROPAGATION TECHNIQUES: VEGETATIVE CUTTINGS
1. Dip the nodes and cut ends with rooting
hormone (0.2% NAA). NAA –
Naphthalene Acetic Acid, IBA – Indole
Butyric Acid
2. Insert the cuttings into a sand bin until
the upper node just touches the surface
3. Sowing distance = 20 cm x 20 cm
4. Use 70% shade
5. Keep the sand bin moist by using a
sprayer at least twice a day
6. After about 4 weeks, transplant the
rooted cuttings into polybags filled with
loose soil
7. Let the cuttings grow in polybags for
about 3 – 4 months
8. Transplant into the field

Piper nigrum
 MALAYSIAN PEPPER BOARD HEADQUARTERS

Panduan Penyediaan Penanaman Pokok LADA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7WopQUMqcV4
 6.0 FIELD PLANTING
LAND PREPARATION
• The land is cleared and lining
to be done to determine the
planting points
• In hilly area, terracing to be
done and the width of the
terrace is 1.5 m.
• Shallow pit is made in the
middle of the mounded soil

Piper nigrum
 6.0 FIELD PLANTING
• 3 – 4 rooted cuttings are planted in the soil pit
• Top portion of the plants are tied loosely to the
temporary supporting post
• Shade is reduced gradually over time and totally
removed after 8 weeks

Piper nigrum
 6.0 FIELD PLANTING
PLANTING DISTANCE & DENSITIES
• Traditional planting: 2.4m x 2.4m in square planting =
1,736 plants/ha
• MARDI recommended: 1.8m x 2.4m in rectangular
planting = 2,314 plants/ha for higher yield production

Piper nigrum
 6.0 FIELD PLANTING
PLANTING SYSTEM

• There are 3 planting systems (support)

have been practiced:

1) Bush tree system (without support)

2) Wooden posts (as support)-Most common
3) Live support (tree)

Piper nigrum
 6.0 FIELD PLANTING
PLANTING SYSTEM

1) Bush tree system:

- Plants are planted as a bush plant without wooden
support. E.g. in a pot
- Climbing shoots are pruned from time to time
- Cuttings can be taken from climbing stems & lateral
branches
- Not widely practiced because of low yield production
- Difficulty in fertilization, weeding & harvesting works
 6.0 FIELD PLANTING
PLANTING SYSTEM

2) Wooden posts as support:

- Traditional system practiced in Sarawak & Johor
- Hardwood used: Belian, Balau, Resak, Cengal
- Semi hardwood used: Kulim
- Use posts that can last beyond 12 years after
planting (most of these post only last for 5 – 6 years)
- Length of the post = 4 m
- 2,000 pieces of woods are needed for 1 ha of planting
- Farmers sink a new post to replace the original post when the latter is at
the initial stage of rotting
- Yield achieved = 7 – 10 kg of fresh berries/plant Piper nigrum
 6.0 FIELD PLANTING
PLANTING SYSTEM

3) Live support:
- Practiced in India, Sri Lanka & Indonesia
- By using other live tree to support the growth of
pepper plant
- E.g. Flame of the Forest (Semarak Api), Dedap
(Erythrina indica) or Legume tree (Gliricidia sepium)
- Most used is Pepper-Dedap support system
- Dedap plants are planted 2 – 4 months earlier before
pepper transplanting
- The shade must be maintained not more than 30% by
cutting all the live tree side branches
Piper nigrum
 6.0 FIELD PLANTING
PLANTING SYSTEM – LIVE SUPPORT

Pepper vines on the stem of Gliricidia sepium

 6.0 FIELD PLANTING
PLANTING SYSTEM – LIVE SUPPORT

Pepper vines on the stem of Cassia spp.

 6.0 FIELD PLANTING
PLANTING SYSTEM

3) Advantages of using live support:

- Reduction up to 70% in the development/
investment cost of establishing a pepper
garden.
- This system does not affect the pepper yield
and could be easily adopted by the pepper
smallholders
- The pepper vines could benefit from the
nitrogen fixed by the roots of Dedap or
Gliricidia spp. (leguminous plant)
Piper nigrum
Pepper Cultivation
Pepper Cultivation
 7.0 GENERAL MAINTENANCES
WEEDING, SOIL MOUNDING, MULCHING

• Weeding and soil mounding on the base of the plant can be done
simultaneously
• Soil mounding is done by taking inter-row soil and raising them to
the base of pepper vine (10 – 15 cm height)

• Mulching can reduce the weeds growth and retain the soil moisture
• Leguminous cover crop e.g. Cassia rotundifolia can provide N to the
pepper

Piper nigrum
 7.0 GENERAL MAINTENANCES
FERTILIZATION
• The recommended pepper fertilizer program:
TYPE OF
PLANT AGE (years) DOSAGE (g/plant) FREQUENCY
FERTILIZER

GML 150 g/plant Incorporated into

0 (During planting)
CIRP 120 g/plant planting hole

14:13:9:2.5 350 g/plant 6 times/year

1 year
GML 150 g/plant 2 times/year

15:7:18:2/ 750 g/plant 6 times/year

2 year 12:12:17:2 + TE
GML 250g/plant 2 times/year
15:7:18:2 1,500 g/plant 4 times/year
3 ++ year /12:12:17:2 + TE
GML 500 g/plant 2 times/year
GML - Ground Magnesium Limestone
CIRP – Christmas Island Rock Phosphate
 7.0 GENERAL MAINTENANCES
PRUNING

• Objectives:
1) To increase yield per plant by encouraging the productive
lateral branches
2) To increase the bushiness of the vines
3) To promote even growth of the tree terminal stems
4) To remove diseased branches
5) To improve air circulation throughout the vines
Piper nigrum
 7.0 GENERAL MAINTENANCES
PRUNING

1ST STAGE

FORMATIVE
2ND STAGE
PEPPER PRUNING
PRUNING ROUTINE
3RD STAGE
PRUNING
7.0 GENERAL MAINTENANCES
1ST STAGE

FORMATIVE
2ND STAGE
PEPPER PRUNING
PRUNING ROUTINE
3RD STAGE
PRUNING
 7.0 GENERAL MAINTENANCES
PRUNING (Formative Pruning – 1st Stage)

1) 6 months after planting.

2) Terminal stem reaches 60 cm

(with 8 – 9 nodes)  prune
to 30 cm from the ground
level.

3) Select and allow 3 new

terminal shoots to develop.

4) These 3 shoots will later form

the main frame of the vine

Piper nigrum
 7.0 GENERAL MAINTENANCES
PRUNING (Formative Pruning – 2nd Stage)
1) 12 – 14 months after planting

2) Terminal stem reaches 150 cm  prune to

100 cm from the ground level.

3) 6 to 7 nodes from the top of the terminal

shoots are pruned off.

4) 3 vigorous shoots (One from each of the

original terminals) are allowed to continue
their growth up to the supportive post

Piper nigrum
 7.0 GENERAL MAINTENANCES
PRUNING (Formative Pruning – 3rd Stage)

1) Terminal shoots reach ¾ top of the supportive

post (4 m)

2) When the plant first produce berries.

3) Pruned back to about 2.5 m above ground level

4) Allowed to grow once more to the top of the

supportive post
 7.0 GENERAL MAINTENANCES
PRUNING
Routine Pruning is done timely to remove:

1) All blank nodes

2) All side branches which are too close to the ground

3) All leaves growing from any of the nodes on the main

stems

4) All flower spikes until the vines reach the age of 2 – 2

½ years

Piper nigrum
 7.0 GENERAL MAINTENANCES
PESTS & DISEASE CONTROL

Pepper Stem Borer, Lopobaris piperis

PESTS Pepper Thrips, Leothrips crassipes

Mealy Bug, Planococcus citri

PEPPER
PESTS &
DISEASES Phytophthora Foot Rot

DISEASES Black Berry Disease

White Root Disease

Stem borer, thrips & Mealy bugs

Stem borer,

Mealy bugs & thrips

Phytophthora Foot Rot

Phytophthora Foot Rot

Black Berry Disease
White Root Disease
 8.0 HARVESTING – WHAT ?
MAJOR PRODUCTS

3 major products of commercial importance:

Black pepper:
(Green mature berries + dried)
White pepper:
(Red mature berries + skin removed, dried)
Green peppercorns:
(Green, young, unripe berries + usually pickled) Piper nigrum
 8.0 HARVESTING – WHEN ?
DURATION
• Seedlings vine take 5 - 7 years to bear.

• By vegetative cuttings, peppers can be

harvested only 3 years after planting.

• Good quality pepper can be harvested

8 - 9 months after flowering.

• When a single of berry in the bunches

has change from green to yellow or red
colour, the whole bunches can be
harvested
Piper nigrum
 8.0 HARVESTING – HOW ?
METHOD
• Conventionally, the berries are
manually picked by hand
• Black pepper – Mature & almost
ripe (green yellowish) to be
harvested
• White pepper – Mature & fully
ripe (red) berries to be harvested
• Green pepper – Immature & green
berries to be harvested
• They are harvested at 2 weeks
interval Piper nigrum
8.0 HARVESTING – HOW ?
METHOD

Piper nigrum
Processing
8.0 HARVESTING
MAJOR PRODUCTS

Piper nigrum
8.0 HARVESTING
MAJOR PRODUCTS

Piper nigrum
 8.0 HARVESTING
BLACK PEPPER

1. Mature but still green yellowish

(unripe) peppers are harvested.

1. Green berries are separated from

the stalks by hand-operated or
motorized thresher.

2. Berries are spread out in a thin layer

on rattan mats which can be rolled
up easily and taken indoors when
necessary.

Piper nigrum
 8.0 HARVESTING
BLACK PEPPER
4. After thorough sun-drying (3 – 5
days), the berries will shrink & outer
skin will change colour from green
to deep mahogany brown or black.

5. The black peppers are then cleaned,

graded, and packaged.

6. Recovery percentage: 30%. E.g. 3 kg

fresh berries  1 kg black pepper

Piper nigrum
8.0 HARVESTING
MAJOR PRODUCTS

Piper nigrum
 8.0 HARVESTING
WHITE PEPPER – Soaking in the water

1. Fully ripened berries (yellow to red in

colour) are harvested
2. Fully ripened berries are separated
from the stalk, filled into jute bags
(gunny) and soaked in fresh running
water to remove the pericarp (outer
skin)
3. Process of retting (removal of outer
skin) takes about 5 - 10 days
Piper nigrum
 8.0 HARVESTING
WHITE PEPPER

4. Berries are washed several times in

rattan baskets to remove the stalks and
the darker colored skin
5. White pepper consists of the seed of
the pepper plant alone
6. Berries are sun-dried for 2 – 3 days
7. Recovery percentage: 20%. E.g. 5 kg
fresh berries  1 kg white pepper
Piper nigrum
8.0 HARVESTING
MAJOR PRODUCTS

Piper nigrum
 8.0 HARVESTING
GREEN PEPPERCORNS

• Green pepper is taken from immature (unripe)

pale green berries
• Pickles = Bottled in salt solution, citric acid &
CaCl
• Dried = Retains the green colour, such as
treatment with sulfur dioxide & dried at 50 ˚C
• Development in a number of new uses of
pepper e.g. incorporation in sweets, tea,
perfume and insecticides
Piper nigrum
 8.0 HARVESTING
AVERAGE PRODUCTION

• Maximum yield is achieved in 8 – 12

years but declines after 20 years.

• Average production: 10,000 to

12,000 kg/ha (fresh berries)

Piper nigrum
 AGR662 : “Entrance/Exit Survey”

N Question Strongly Disagree Agree Strongly

o disagree agree
(1) (2) (3) (4)

1 I can describe the morphology and characteristics of

selected Malaysian industrial crops.

2 I understand comprehensively the biology, ecology,

agronomy, and crop requirement of selected industrial
crops.

3 I can explain the growing technique of the selected

industrial crops.
4 I will be able to discuss with my classmate about all
aspects of selected industrial crops.