vanilla cultivation

For higher studies
Export agricultural crops Vanilla
uses or product of vanilla
cultivation areas
soil and climatic requirements for vanilla
propagation of vanilla
field planting of vanilla
fertilizer application and weed management in vanilla cultivation
pollination of vanilla
harvesting and processing of vanilla

1. Vanilla fragrans
Family –Orchidaceae

2. History of vanilla
Vanilla-thesourceofnaturalvanillin.
Origin-NortheasternMexico.
vanillabeanswerecombinedwithcacaoandmadeatastydrink.
Foreightyyearsthisspecialbeveragewasonlyenjoyedbythe
nobilityandtheveryrich.
vanillinwasisolatedfromvanillapods.

3. History of vanilla
Todayvanillaisgrownin,
❖Madagaskar,
❖Indonesia,
❖Mexico,
❖Thahiti
andfewothercountries
includingSriLankaasa
commercialcrop.

4. Products and Uses
❖Vanillin is the
main product
extracted from
vanilla.

5. Products and Uses
❖It is used as a
flavour ingredient
in confectionery
industry.

6. Products and Uses
❖It is used as a
flavor
ingredient in
perfumery
Industry.

7. Products and Uses
❖It is used as a flavor
ingredient in
pharmaceutical
Industry.

8. Major growing areas in Sri Lanka
❖In Sri Lanka vanilla is mainly
confined as a home garden
crop grown in mid and low
country wet zone. Total
extent is less than 100ha.

9. Major growing areas in Sri Lanka
❖Kandy, Nuweraeliya,
❖Mataleand Kegalle
ditricts.

10. Varieties
❖No specific varieties
have been identified in
Sri Lanka and planting
material is taken from
traditionally grown
vines.

11. Soil and Climatic requirements
❖Soil
❖High fertile well
drained loamy soils
are preferable.
❖Soils should be rich
in organic matter.

12. Soil and Climatic requirements
❖Climate
0
Altitude -Vanilla performs well up to 1000m above the
mean sea level.
Temperature –21-32 C is suitable. But Vanilla performs
well at 27 C
0
Rainfall –2000-2500 mm. But 2-3 months dry spell is needed for
flower initiation.
Shade-70%-75% shade-shade trees-
mara,sabukku,erabadu.
0

13. Crop establishment
Planting material
Factors to be considered when selecting proper
vines
❖Vines should have succulent leaves
❖Vines should not have any pest and disease
problems
❖Quick growth should be there.
❖High yielding ability.

14. Crop establishment
Planting material
Vegetative
methods are
practiced.
Cuttings, 3’-
4.5’ (1-1.5m)
in size, are
obtained from
selected
mother vines.
3’-4.5’ (1-1.5m)

15. Crop establishment
Planting material
Lower end of the cuttings
should be closer to the node
and 3-4 leaves should be
removed from the lower
end.

16. Crop establishment
Planting material
To induce buds cuttings
should be hanged on a
support for about 7
days. Cuttings from
flowering vines and
from harvested vines
should not be taken.

17. Field Planting
❖Vanilla is a shade loving plant hence
live support trees are used to
provide adequate shade (50-60%).
❖Glyricidiais the most suitable shade
tree and support trees should be
established at least six months
before planting vanilla.

18. Field Planting
❖Spacing –3m x 1.5 m (10’ x 5’)
(2000 cuttings / ha)
3m
1.5m

19. Field Planting
❖Planting should be done with
the on set of rain. Loosen the
soil around the base of
support up to 8’’ deep in and
area of about 2’ in diameter.
Then
3m
1.5m
2’diameter.
8’’ deep

20. Field Planting
Then add 2-3 basket of organic
manure. Make a furrow 10 (4’’) deep
(from support tree and across the
surface of planting pit.) and place
the cutting horizontally in the furrow
leaving 3 cm from lower cut end
jutting out into air .

21. Field Planting
Cuttings should be buried firmly with
upturned soil. The upper end of the
cutting is tied up on to the support
tree and mulching should be done
up to thickness of 7.5 –15 cm using
decayed organic matter.

22. Crop management
When cuttings start to grow
emerging axial buds should
be trained to turn vines to
grow upward direction.
Training of vines -

23. Crop management
When vines reach top of the
support tree they should be
allowed to droop.
Training of vines -

24. Crop management
When reached to ground let
them to grow on soil further 30 -
45 cm (1-1.5’) and then curl the
stem upwards and allow the
buds to grow up again on the
support tree.
Training of vines -

25. Crop management
This process should be
repeated until vines form
several loops.
Ground area of loops should
be covered with organic
manure.
Training of vines -

26. Crop management
This process should be
repeated until vines form
several loops.
Ground area of loops should
be covered with organic
manure.
Training of vines -

27. Crop Management
Stimulate flowering –
❖To get the maximum number of
flowers flowering should be induced
artificially.
❖Usually this practice is done in
December –January 4 month before
flowering.
.

28. Crop Management
Stimulate flowering –
❖For that 5-7 nodes are removed from
the tip of drooped matured
branches.

29. Crop Management
Stimulate flowering –
❖Then it removes the apical
dominance and activate the axillary
buds to initiate flowering.

30. Crop Management
Stimulate flowering –
❖To get 70-80% sunlight shade trees
too should be pruned. Shade should
be 20-30%.

31. Crop Management
Manuring-
❖Usually artificial fertilizer is not
applied to vanilla but organic
fertilizer is essential.
❖Compost should be applied at the
beginning of each rainy season.

32. Crop Management
Manuring-
❖Plants should be mulched at least
once in six month with dry or fresh
leaves and lopping of shade trees.

33. Usually flowers come
out in April-/ May
period and flowers are
small lily like, greenish-
yellow in colour.
Crop Management
Pollination-

34. In vanilla artificial
pollination is
essential as the
natural pollination
rarely produce pods.
Crop Management
Pollination-

35. There are about 20 flowers in
a raceme.
Usually, only one flower in a
raceme opens in a day, with
the entire flowering period of
the raceme lasting an average
of 24 days.
Crop Management
Pollination-

36. The flower opens in the
morning and closes in the
afternoon, never to re-
open. If it is not
pollinated, it will shed the
next day. The optimum
time for pollination is in
mid morning.
Crop Management
Pollination-

37. Flower is self-fertile, but
incapable of self-pollination
without the aid of an outside
agency to either transfer the
pollen from the anther to the
stigma or to lift the flap or
rostellum and press the anther
against the stigma.
Crop Management
Pollination-
pollensStigma
Rostellum

41. Rostellum

43. Lifting the
rostellum

45. Lifting the
rostellum and
Pressing the anther
with pollen to the
stigma to touch the
pollen in stigma.

47. Harvesting and Post Harvest practices
In harvesting only
mature pods should
be e harvested. To
make one kg of
pods 70 -100 well
ripened pods are
needed and 6 kg of
raw pods are
needed to make
1kg of cured pods.

48. Harvesting and Post Harvest practices
❖Pods must at least be longer than 6cm
and better quality pods must be longer
than 10cm.
❖To get quality bulk of pods small pods (
Less tan 10 cm long) should be
removed from the plants 2 months
after pollination and allow only 8-10
pods in a bunch and remove all other
pods.
Harvesting

49. Harvesting and Post Harvest practices
❖Pods should be plucked by
turning upright and should
not be used pair of scissors
or knife to avoid fungus
formed in cut end.

50. Harvesting and Post Harvest practices
Harvesting –
Pods reach maturity after 8-9 months
from pollination.
Harvesting mainly falls in December-
January.
Ideal stage is when tip of the green
pods start turning yellow and before
split opened of the lower end of
pods.
8-9 months
Pollination Harvesting

51. Yield –
After 3 years of planting 500 –
800 kg/ha and peak yield level at
8years

52. Processing
There are several methods of processing but basic steps in each and every method are
same. Those steps are
• Killing or Wilting –Initiates the on set of enzymatic reactions responsible for the
production of aroma and flavor. Pods become brown in color.
• Sweating -Increase the temperature to promote the enzymatic reactions and to
provoke fairly rapid drying to prevent harmful fermentations, Develop deep brown
coloration of pods.
• Drying –Slow drying. Beans reach to one-third of their original weight
• Conditioning –Store in closed boxes for a period of three months or longer to
permit the full development of desired aroma and flavor

53. The aroma and flavor of the cured vanilla
bean/pod are the characteristics that
determine the bean’s commercial value on
the world market. Processing should be
done carefully to preserve the maximum
aroma and flavor as well as the physical
appearance.

55. SORTING AND GRADING OF GREENS:
Size and appearance get the primary
importance in the sorting process The
beans are graded in the green stage itself
as A,B,C,andD according to the length of
the beans.
Those which are more than 15 cmsare
classified as A grade.
Between 10-15 cmsare graded as B and
less than 10 cmsare classified as C grade.
Those which are split, cut or damaged or
bruised are taken as Grade -D.
.

56. Once the mature vanilla beans have been
picked, they are taken to the curing and
sorted according to size and condition.

57. Sortedbeansareplungedintolargevatsofhotwater(63degrees
Celsius)andquicklydrained.
ipping“kills”thebean,stoppinggrowthandreleasingthe
enzymesthatbeginproductionofvanillin,thebean’sprimary
flavorcomponent.
Thisconvertsglucovanillintovanillin:

58. Thewarmbeansarewrappedindarkcolored
cottonfabricandafteradaytheyarelaidon
slattedplatformstodryintheopensunforan
hour.

59. For about a week, the beans are left for two hours a day to
dry in the sun and rolled in cloth between drying session. At
this stage the vanilla beans have become quite supple.
Drying –Slow drying. Beans reach to
one-third of their original weight.
Moisture content may come upto 25-
30%

60. ❖Forthenexttwoorthree
monthsthevanillabeans
arespreadonracksinthe
shadeorinwell-ventilated
roomstoallowtheirfull
flavorandfragranceto
develop.

61. ❖After the curing process, vanilla
beans are sorted in an open airy
place and graded according to
length before they are bundled for
shipment.
❖By this time, their aroma is quite
remarkable.

62. Conditioning –Store in closed
boxes for a period of three
months or longer to permit the
full development of desired
aroma and flavor

63. Length of pods –between 17-25cm
Smell -Inherited vanilla smell
Color –Dark brown or black color
Appearance -Shiny oily surface
Lack of insect attacks or other patches
Cleanness –Lack of extraneous matter, animal
o plant parts or insects
Moisture –around 25%-30%
Standard quality specifications