Research achievements and recommendations in crop management for enhancing the productivity of spices: A review

Spices are invaluable crops in Ethiopia and research. Just like coffee, their production started many years ago. Availability of diverse agro ecology allowed the country to cultivate different spices. Lowland (ginger, turmeric, black pepper, cardamom, and vanilla) and highland seed spices (black cumin and white cumin, fenugreek, and coriander) were some of the target in research. Appropriate crop management practices, next to varieties are very mandatory to improve productivity and production of spices. Suitable field management recommendations of the released spices varieties have been effected and because of that, productivity and production increased significantly. Spices such as korarima and long pepper are indigenous and special attention is needed to prepare their production packages. Cultural practices such as appropriate planting material preparation, planting time, propagation method, nursery and field management practices (shade/support management, pruning practices, and fertility requirement on some of the spices) have been conducted and important information is available for users. In addition, multiplication and distribution of planting materials has been underway for the released varieties. Also, attention has been given to the multiplication and dissemination of disease-free planting materials of ginger. This review paper summarizes the status of crop management practices, achievements, challenges and future prospects of spices.