Abstract Four major cultivars of black pepper from Kerala viz. Aimpiriyan, Narayakodi Neelamundi and Uthirankotta were analyzed for a period of three consecutive seasons for their oil composition. Fifty-five compounds were identified in the oils by GC and GC/MS. The main components of Aimpiriyan oil were limonene (19.8%-22.5%), β-pinene (9.3â23.9%), limonene (8.3â18%) and β-caryophyllene (20.3â34.7%). Narayakodi oil contained as major compounds sabinene (4.4â24.6 %) limonene (9.5â19.5%), β-pinene (4.8â15.6%), β-caryophyllene (29.8â52.9%) and caryophyllene oxide (2.3â3.9%). Neelamundi oil contained a-pinene (4.7â6.5%), sabinene (23.2â27.3%), β-pinene (7.8â11.3%), limonene (12.9â18.6%) and β-caryophyllene (17.0â31.0%). The oil from Uthirankotta contained α-pinene (9.1â14.6%), β-pinene (9.3â12.5%), γ-3-carene (6.7â8.5%), limonene (13.3â19.5%), β-caryophyllene (25.1â37.8%) and caryophyllene oxide (0.6â2.7 %).