Abstract

Piper nigrum, commonly known as ``Black-pepper``, has gained a global consideration because of its volume in the spice industry. This plant has shown great potential for the discovery of novel biologically active compounds and need for techniques to enhance the production of high quality consistent plant material for feasible accumulation of metabolites. Tissue culture of P. nigrum can play a vital role in germplasm conservation, enhanced multiplication and genetic engineering for feasible production of biologically active compounds. Liquid culture is yet to be established and reserves corner for industrial production of these active components. This review provides the developments in the propagation practices and challenges that remain in P. nigrum biotechnology.

Key words: Piper, black-pepper, peppercorn, piperine, tissue culture.