Vanilla as intercrop systems as is practiced in Indian growing conditions

In India Most of the intercrop vanilla is either under Areca trees or under coconut groves... We have done under Mango, mangium, rubber and coffee-tea plantations also.

There have been case studies of total Glyricidia and Erythrina intrecrop cultivation also. We provide here snapshots of all such cultivation and each case has thereown merits and demerits.

We advise growers to discuss with us before proceeding to take up a situation which resembles their culitvation habitat.

organic mulch has been employed in these 2 feet wide beds. Normally mixing vermi compost - green composted manure to the mulch helps in root growth. Psudomonas and Tricoderma are incorporated alongwith the mulch material which is around 1 ft high. Inbetween rows 1-1.5 m walking space is provided.

Pineapple intercropped in vanilla

Typically an area of 1acre -4000 sq.m of vanilla plantation can hold around 2000 production vines.

Some of the intercrop plantations also do have pepper growing on the shade trees like the areca catechu.

Some of the Vanilla just pollinated buds in fruiting. You can also see the vanilla pod as it has just developed. Still the flower parts are attached to the fruit.

Upper canopy of the glyricidia gives an idea of the shade involved in the vanilla crop.

Some of the Vanilla customers having a look at the undergrowth of the vanilla plants.See use of coconut leaves as mulch at the bottom to avoid water transpiration.

Some of the Vanilla just pollinated buds in fruiting. You can also see the vanilla pod as it has just developed. Still the flower parts are attached to the fruit.

Close up view of the vanilla pollination where the pollen is being pushed in to the ovule for fruit formation.