Abstract:
Cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum) is a high-value perennial crop that contributes significantly to
Sri Lanka’s export economy. Despite its economic importance, expansion of cinnamon cultivation
is hindered by the limited availability of improved and widely adopted cultivars. Evaluation of
vegetative growth performance of cinnamon across diverse agroecological zones is crucial to
identify superior accessions suitable for cultivation and breeding purposes. Therefore, this study
evaluated the vegetative growth performance of twenty selected vegetatively propagated
cinnamon accessions transplanted at eight months of age. The assessment was conducted over
three months (December 2024 to March 2025), under field conditions in Thalgampala, Galle
(WL2a), using a Randomized Complete Block Design with three replicates. The evaluation mainly
focused on agronomic parameters including plant height (from soil surface to the apex of the main
shoot), stem girth (10 cm above ground), and average leaf chlorophyll content (SPAD readings)
on mature, healthy leaves located in the middle canopy. Analysis of variance revealed statistically
significant differences among the accessions for all parameters (p < 0.05). Accessions 7 and 18
performed well in terms of stem girth (2.21 ± 0.84 cm) and plant height (64.33 ± 14.36 cm), while
accession 56 showed the highest average SPAD readings (39.9 ± 9.04 cm), indicating a higher
chlorophyll content. These findings emphasize accessions 7, 18, and 56 are the best among the
selected twenty, with potential for further agronomic trials to support breeding programs and
germplasm conservation. In contrast, accession 12 consistently scored poorly across all
parameters, indicating limited adaptability and reduced potential for further cultivation.
