P. K. Venugopalan Nambiar
Encyclopedia
P. K. Venugopalan Nambiar (1924–1996) was an Indian agricultural scientist credited with the development of the first hybrid variety of black pepper
in the world, Panniyur-1. As the Head of Pepper Research Station, Panniyur in Kerala
, he developed and released Panniyur-1 for commercial cultivation in 1971.
Venugopalan Nambiar devoted his life for improvement of black pepper to increase the productivity of the crop. He also assembled a large germ plasm
collection of black pepper
and developed infrastructure of Pepper Research Station in Panniyur. Besides being a scientist, Venugopalan Nambiar was cherished and adored as a leader of the farming community especially in Kerala
have been developed and released for commercial cultivation, Panniyur-1 has withstood the test of time and is still the ruling variety in all the states in India
where black pepper
is grown and also in other black pepper growing countries. This variety is known to every black pepper
grower and is popular in small homestead gardens and in large plantations. The variety has special distinguishing characters such as long spike, high fruit setting bold berries and high yield.
and spices research and development.
Black pepper
Black pepper is a flowering vine in the family Piperaceae, cultivated for its fruit, which is usually dried and used as a spice and seasoning. The fruit, known as a peppercorn when dried, is approximately in diameter, dark red when fully mature, and, like all drupes, contains a single seed...
in the world, Panniyur-1. As the Head of Pepper Research Station, Panniyur in Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
, he developed and released Panniyur-1 for commercial cultivation in 1971.
Venugopalan Nambiar devoted his life for improvement of black pepper to increase the productivity of the crop. He also assembled a large germ plasm
Germ plasm
Germ plasm or polar plasm is a zone found in the cytoplasm of the egg cells of some model organisms , which contains determinants that will give rise to the germ cell lineage. As the zygote undergoes mitotic divisions the germ plasm is ultimately restricted to a few cells of the embryo...
collection of black pepper
Black pepper
Black pepper is a flowering vine in the family Piperaceae, cultivated for its fruit, which is usually dried and used as a spice and seasoning. The fruit, known as a peppercorn when dried, is approximately in diameter, dark red when fully mature, and, like all drupes, contains a single seed...
and developed infrastructure of Pepper Research Station in Panniyur. Besides being a scientist, Venugopalan Nambiar was cherished and adored as a leader of the farming community especially in Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
Panniyur-1
Although several varieties of Black pepperBlack pepper
Black pepper is a flowering vine in the family Piperaceae, cultivated for its fruit, which is usually dried and used as a spice and seasoning. The fruit, known as a peppercorn when dried, is approximately in diameter, dark red when fully mature, and, like all drupes, contains a single seed...
have been developed and released for commercial cultivation, Panniyur-1 has withstood the test of time and is still the ruling variety in all the states in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
where black pepper
Black pepper
Black pepper is a flowering vine in the family Piperaceae, cultivated for its fruit, which is usually dried and used as a spice and seasoning. The fruit, known as a peppercorn when dried, is approximately in diameter, dark red when fully mature, and, like all drupes, contains a single seed...
is grown and also in other black pepper growing countries. This variety is known to every black pepper
Black pepper
Black pepper is a flowering vine in the family Piperaceae, cultivated for its fruit, which is usually dried and used as a spice and seasoning. The fruit, known as a peppercorn when dried, is approximately in diameter, dark red when fully mature, and, like all drupes, contains a single seed...
grower and is popular in small homestead gardens and in large plantations. The variety has special distinguishing characters such as long spike, high fruit setting bold berries and high yield.
Awards
The Indian Society of Spices, Calicut honored Venugopalan Nambiar with Sugandha Bharathi Award - 2002 in recognition of his lifetime contribution to the cause of black pepperBlack pepper
Black pepper is a flowering vine in the family Piperaceae, cultivated for its fruit, which is usually dried and used as a spice and seasoning. The fruit, known as a peppercorn when dried, is approximately in diameter, dark red when fully mature, and, like all drupes, contains a single seed...
and spices research and development.