Agroclimatic requirement of large cardamom (Amomum subulatum Roxb.) for the state of Sikkim

The present study was carried out to identify the cause of major yield losses large cardamom in state Sikkim. For this purpose three years meteorological data from two stations viz. Gangtok and Tadong potential evapotranspiration adjacent located sub-Himalayan West Bengal were used for computation heat unit (GDD) agroclimatic rainfall index (ARI).
 revealed that availability followed same trend with highest value at vegetative stage lowest lag phase crop. total requirement crop very high; its increased nursery seedling transplanting stages then reduced sharply during phase; afterwards peak attained growth stage, which later stages. Very high ARI values recorded flowering both stations. postmortem suggests requires well distributed, plentiful relative humidity cool temperature, not available 1998-99, affecting severely secondary stage.