Improved Farming Practices for the Cultivation of Spice, Clove (Syzygium aromaticum) in India

Abstract

Clove is a very valuable spice used throughout the world with various medicinal and culinary properties. It cannot be cultivated in all climates and soils. In tropical countries it prefers to grow in red soil in higher altitudes with colder climate. In India, Western Ghats provides a suitable niche for the growth of clove in terms of climate and soil. The clove of commerce is the air-dried unopened flower bud obtained from evergreen medium sized tree. The tree grows to a height of 10-12 metres and start flowering in about four years. Eugenol is the main essential oil extracted from clove buds, stalks and leaves. It continues to produce flower buds for hundred or more years.