RESULTS OF SELECTING PLUS PLANTS OF CARDAMOM IN YEN BAI AND LAO CAI PROVINCES

Abstract

Cardamom (Amomum aromaticum Roxb.) is one of mainly non-timber forest products plant species belonging to the medicinal/spice plant group with high economic value, widely planted under the forest canopy in the northern mountainous provinces of Vietnam. The main product of Cardamom is fruit. Now, the total planted area is about 33,488 hectares with an estimated fruit volume total of 5,000 tons and production value of 25-30 million USD, contributing the main source of income for thousands of households living in the Northern mountainous provinces of Vietnam. However, the productivity, volume and quality of Cardamom are on a strong downward trend. The main reason is the lack of, suitable and stable, good quality seedling sources to supply production needs. Therefore, plus tree selection of Cardamom is necessary to focus on high fruit yield and good quality. Lao Cai and Yen Bai provinces have the largest Cardamom growing area in Vietnam. In Cardamom plantations in Sa Pa, Van Ban district (Lao Cai provice), 48 plus plants with fruit yield ranged from 5.4 - 15.3 kg of fruit/plant and higher from 201.5% - 708.1% than an average value of the population, essential oil content of dried seeds reached up 1.6 - 3.2%, as well as exceeded from 12.9% to 127.9% in compasion of the average of population and exceeding the regulations of Vietnamese Pharmacopoeia V in 2017. In Cardamom plantations in Mu Cang Chai district (Yen Bai provice), 6 plus plants with fruit yield ranged from 5.1 - 9.8 kg of fruit/plant and higher from 246.7% - 543.7% than an average value of the population, essential oil content of dried seeds reached up 2.6 - 3.6%, as well as exceeded from 82.1% to 153.6% in compasion of the average of population and exceeding the regulations of Vietnamese Pharmacopoeia V in 2017. These plus plants have been obtained propagation materials for research in cultivar improvement as well as seedling production from now.