Black pepper (Piper nigrum L.: Family: Piperaceae) the king of spices, associated with the history of Tamil kingdoms in the past and valued for pungency and medicinal properties is a perennial vine originated from monsoon tracks of Western Ghats. There is stagnation in the area of its cultivation and the productivity level so far realized is far below the theoretical potential achievable for the agro climatic conditions of the regions where it is cultivated. This could be due to challenges faced in its cultivation as a commercial crop, particularly in sustaining high productivity to stay economically viable. An effort is made to grasp the role of growth determinants, soil, water, nutrients and climate, in chasing productivity and the ways to manage them to achieve sustainable productivity.

Keywords: Pepper agronomy; Productivity constraints; Pruning and training vines.