Cinnamon

Description :

• Cinnamon  is a spice obtained from the inner bark of several tree species from the genus Cinnamomum. Cinnamon is used mainly as an aromatic condiment and flavouring additive in a wide variety of cuisines, sweet and savoury dishes, breakfast cereals, snackfoods, tea and traditional foods. The aroma and flavour of cinnamon derive from its essential oil and principal component, cinnamaldehyde, as well as numerous other constituents, including eugenol.
• The term "cinnamon" also is used to describe its mid-brown colour. Cinnamon is the name for several species of trees and the commercial spice products that some of them produce. All are members of the genus Cinnamomum in the family Lauraceae. Only a few Cinnamomum species are grown commercially for spice. Cinnamomum verum is sometimes considered to be "true cinnamon", but most cinnamon in international commerce is derived from the related species Cinnamomum cassia, also referred to as "cassia".In 2016, Indonesia and China produced 75% of the world's supply of cinnamon.

Soil and climate : Sandy or lateritic soils with high humus are suitable. This crop can be grown up to an altitude of 800 - 1000 m from Mean Sea Level receiving an annual rainfall of 150 to 250 cm.

Propagation: Seeds / Semi hardwood cuttings
Nursery: Seeds collected from selected mother trees are sown immediately in nursery beds in rows of 12 cm apart. July – August is the best season for sowing. From beds, seedlings are transplanted to polythene bags when they attain a height of 15 cm.

Planting
Take pits of 60 cm3 at 2 m x 2 m spacing. Fill the pits with top soil and FYM 10 kg. One year old seedlings or rooted cuttings are transplanted under partial shade.

Varieties :

• YCD 1
• PPI – 1
• Nithyasree
• Navasree,
• Konkan Tej,
• Sugandhini.

Management :

• Plant protection
• Pests
• Shoot borer : Shoot borer can be controlled by smearing the stem and branches with Carbaryl 50 WP @ 2 g/lit of water once in a month.
• Coffee red borer : Coffee red borer can be controlled by trunk injection of Monocrotophos 36 WSC @ 1 ml/bore hole with a waiting period of 20 days to be allowed between application and harvest of the bark.
• Leaf eating caterpillar

Irrigation
Protective watering during summer is beneficial.

After Cultivation
Immediately after transplanting, the plants are provided with temporary shade by erecting a small pandal. Weeds are removed as and when necessary.  Young trees are cut close to the ground to produce side shoots. This process is called "Coppicing". By stooling around the stumps, more side shoots are encouraged from the base of the trees.